The centre jan2017

$3

CENTRE JANUARY - MARCH 2017

THE

MAKING CHRIST THE CENTRE

free booklet

forgiveness brings freedom FEATURE

PARENTING

HEALING PAST GIVING CHOICES HURTS NOT COMMANDS

health

FAMILY

GLUTEN INTOLERANCE

SUNDAY SCHOOL

CONTENTS EDITOR’S NOTE

3

FORGIVENESS Forgive as I Have Forgiven You 4

6

8

10

12

50

Forgiveness Brings Freedom

5

The Road Less Travelled

6

TESTIMONY Guilty

8

Healing Past Hurts

10

SPIRITUAL GROWTH The Case of Justice vs Forgiveness 12 Out of Jail

13

Caught in the Crossfire

14

Do You Belong?

16

The Amazing Word of God

17

When Prayers Seem to go Unanswered

18

FAMILY Get on with Life

20

GOSPEL Was He Who He Said He Was?

21

YOUTH 2017 Goal Getter

22

2017 PLANNER Planning for a Fruitful 2017

24

PARENTING Sleep Overs

25

TESTIMONY Stolen Innocence

26

GENDER ISSUES Forgivess from Abuse

27

MARRIAGE Marriage as God Intended

28

BOOK REVIEW

29

PARENTING Giving Choices Not Commands

30

Sunday School

32

COUNSELLING CENTRE NEWS

34

SPORTS Champion Chibota Builds Body and Soul

36

For Glory

38

BUSINESS Interview with Tapiwa Chidzana

40

PROJECTS HUBS

42

Bringing People Together For A Cleaner & Greener Zimbabwe

44

SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY Disability Awareness

46

RECIPES

48

HEALTH Gluten

50

KIDS CORNER Forgiveness

52

SHORT STORY The Greater Miracle

54

SODUKU

55

Matthew 26:28 For this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.

EDITOR’S NOTE

Editor’s Note Dear Readers This time of year holds so much promise. After a year that may have held disappointments and frustration, it’s exciting to imagine the good things a new year may bring. As I look at diaries waiting to be filled and calendars with unturned pages, it makes me think about how God has offered us all a fresh start. He has cleared our records and given us the opportunity to write a different story for ourselves.

Unfortunately it can be difficult to embrace this opportunity as we hold onto our own condemnation, knowing how little we deserve this grace. We know our own worst thoughts and actions, but not those of others, so it’s easy to believe we are too far beyond the reach of God’s grace. Sometimes all that is holding us back from the abundant life on offer is our own acceptance of it.

Hopefully as you read through the articles in this issue you will see afresh the wonders of your salvation and understand better why God places so much emphasis on forgiveness.

The testimonies featured in this issue (page 8 - 11) show real life examples of supernatural abilities to forgive ‘the unforgivable’ and Margi’s article on Justice and Forgiveness (page 12) clears up a common misconception that can hinder forgiveness. We have included a planner on page 24 to help you start your year on the right track, as well as a free booklet from RBC Ministries.

I’d like to leave you with this blessing for the New Year.

Editorial Team

Happy reading!

Sheila

About The Christian Counselling Centre We are a Registered Trust. Our team of counsellors, drawn from many denominations, are all trained to an Advanced Level in Biblical Counselling.

Counselling is open to anyone (whatever their religion) who would like to talk confidentially to a counsellor. The counselling costs $15 a session, payable in advance. To see a counsellor, please phone the numbers below. If you would like to attend any of our seminars, courses, etc. please register and make payment at the Centre.

Our Trustees:

Tava Gwanzura, Tony Roberts, Davison Kanokanga, Scott Marques, Ian and Adie Wilsher

Ian & Adie Wilsher Sheila Yeatman Margi Grobbelaar Tava Gwanzura Bobbie Rapson

Graphic Design Kirsty Venter +263 779479175 Please send all correspondence to Address: No. 8 Coltman Road Mt. Pleasant, Harare Email: thecentremagazine@gmail.com Tel: +263 4 744 580 Web: www.thecentremagazine.wordpress.com : The Centre Magazine

Our Contact Details:

8 Coltman Rd, Mount Pleasant, Harare (off The Chase) P O Box MP 1129, Mt Pleasant.

Tel: 744580 / 744212 / 0773 547544 / 0712 719626 E-mail: hccc@mweb.co.zw Website: www.christiancounsellingcentre.net

The views expressed in this publication don’t necessarily reflect those of the Christian Counselling Centre.

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Psalm 103:13-14 As a father shows compassion to his children, so the Lord shows compassion to those who fear him. For He knows our frame; He remembers that we are dust.

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FORGIVENESS

Forgive as I Have Forgiven You

by Linda Madhoo

This is based on a true story.

She drives into the parking lot, noticing a familiar face as she parks her vehicle, a street kid she may have seen before?

As she leaves her car and walks across towards the supermarket, the warm sunshine on her face brings to mind another sun-filled day many years ago.

She is a Tutsi, living in a tiny village in Rwanda. Her heart fills with sadness as she remembers her husband killed by the Hutu in a vicious attack.

There have been many attacks but the villagers hide in the forest, sitting silently, fearfully until the soldiers have gone. But she smiles as she looks down on their son, six months old in a few days. He chuckles and coos and gurgles, kicking his chubby legs and waving his arms excitedly as he hears his mother’s voice. Life is challenging but she has her precious son.

Suddenly she hears a shout. “They’re coming! Quickly! Run! Hide!”

She grabs her son and runs as quickly as she can and hides in the bushes. She holds tightly onto her baby boy. He wriggles and tries to break free as the thorns scratch his face. His yelp fills the silence.

Moments later a soldier, armed with a machete, cuts through the dense bushes and finds them. Shouting, he orders her to get up. Her baby is screaming now, frightened. He tells her to keep her baby quiet or he will cut off his head. She tries to calm the love of her life. He cries louder and louder.

As she loads her car she stops. Softly she asks “Do you remember me?”

He shakes his head, confused.

“Many years ago you came to my village. I was hiding in the bush. My baby would not stop crying. You did not let him live.”

He lifts his head, fear in his eyes.

The soldier, a child himself, lifts his machete.

It glistens in the sunshine as it slices through the air.

She hears a thud.

A gust of wind brings her back to the present moment. Life has gone on. She has met another love of her life now, her Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. He pours wave after wave of love and grace and healing over her. He holds every tear she cries. He mends her broken heart.

Shopping done, she walks back to her car but as she does she notices the street kid again. He is dirty, malnourished, his clothes torn. Recognition dawns. Horror fills her, her body trembles. She continues to look at him.

She beckons the young man and as he approaches, she asks him to help her carry her parcels.

“Don’t be afraid.” She whispers. “My God, Jesus Christ has forgiven me for the things I have done and today I choose to forgive you.”

The young man looks at her, shame, guilt, sadness, confusion, filling his eyes, tears pouring down his face.

“But,” she continues, “there is something I would like you to do for me.” He waits expectantly.

“I would like you to come home with me. You will be my son and I will be your mother.

Together we will take care of each other.”

The young man weeps, falling to his knees, but the young woman gently lifts him up and says, “Come let us go home.”

Linda is a counsellor at The Christian Counselling Centre.

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Matthew 6:14-15 For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

RELATIONSHIPS ARTICLES TESTIMONY

FORGIVENESS BRINGS

By Terry Ann Botha

D

airy farming calls for gruelling working hours, and my husband did the early morning and evening shift. I hated the early mornings when he left in the dark. Most times I stayed awake reading my Bible until I saw the hues of dawn creep into the sky welcoming a new day. This particular morning in late June, 1984, I had for some reason fallen straight back to sleep once my husband had left. Suddenly, I was being violently shaken awake by a person whom I felt lying on top of me. Not a word was spoken as I awoke from a deep sleep into a terrifying reality that I was no longer dreaming, but this was actually happening to me.

As I was thrown to the floor, I remember a raw fear that came over me causing me to freeze. I fixated on a picture on the wall, while the man told me I was now going to die. My attacker, now done with what he came for, put his hands around my neck and started strangling me. I prayed and pleaded for my life out loud. The light from the passage fell on his face.....he looked afraid, released me and fled. I couldn’t believe I was still alive. I escaped through my bedroom window to raise the alarm.

Since childhood, I remember being told of an attack and rape of a young girl in Zambia, where I grew up. It had always stayed with me. I wondered how anyone ever got over something like that.

Now I was to walk my own journey through the tumultuous emotions that follow such an incident. Many people do not know how to act around trauma. Somehow, if something has befallen you, it almost puts you in the ‘leper’ category. Some avoid you, others, meaning well, come up with what they deem helpful verses or platitudes, but the truth is you are alone and disorientated by the pain. People started coming up with their own reasons why this had happened to me as a Christian, well-meaning but misguided. It was not helpful to be told, What I had feared had come upon me....(Job 3:25) and that either my faith was weak or I had sin in my life (or both)! I think I struggled more with forgiving my fellow Christians in those early days after the attack, than the perpetrator!

Remarkably, he was caught fairly soon afterwards and brought to the scene, where we had to look each other in the eye as he gave his version of events and I gave mine. Later, it was discovered he was a wanted serial rapist. As I listened to his lies and thought

how barbaric the system was, exposing me to him in this manner, I felt anger and resentment rising in me. The police had already lost my initial statement and the rape kit evidence. I was now dealing with the likelihood of the case being thrown out because of gross inefficiency. My emotions were all over the place.

In the midst of all this I must add that I did have tremendous support from my husband and an American Baptist missionary couple and wise, godly friends. Through prayer and gentle, unconditional love they helped me deal with the aftermath of the event. I felt the need to be baptised and someone gave me Scriptures on tape, with a pillow speaker which played constantly whilst I slept. I read a testimony of a missionary in Africa who went through what I did. She felt God telling her that what was done to her was done to Him, as He was in her life. That really stayed with me and helped me know that God is a debtor to no man and He will make all things right in the end. Shall not the judge of all the earth do that which is right? (Genesis 18:25) Another thing that helped me was that I began sharing my story and soon found that I was not alone. So many rape victims feel ashamed and never talk about what happened to them.

Whenever I heard that this had happened to someone else, I would try to contact them, to offer a listening ear and offer hope that they would come through it.

Although my case never came to trial, firstly because his case was ‘lost’ somewhere in the system, then he escaped, I can honestly say that I felt no malice or bitterness for him.

I admire Alison Botha, the inspirational speaker and author of the book, I Have Life. I fully relate to her powerful message that attitude is key to claiming our lives for ourselves and not allowing what others have done to us, to define who we are. Forgiveness brings freedom and life. I set before you this day life or death, blessing or cursing. Therefore, choose life (Deuternomy 30:19).

Terry Ann has three adult children and four grandchildren; she and her husband have been involved in ministry for 30 years.

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Romans 6:4 We were buried therefore with Him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.

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FORGIVENESS

The Road Less Travelled

By Terry Ann Botha

Image: Julia Baker

I

recently read that forgiveness is a talent that you either have or you don’t. In other words, if you have not been born with that ability, you are off the hook and it’s up to others who are fortunate enough to have it!

Ludicrous as that sounds, many of us may display the same belief through our actions, choosing to hold on to offenses rather than to forgive. As Christians we should be clear that forgiveness is a Biblical command not a suggestion or only attainable by a select few. Furthermore, God Himself clearly led by example, initiating the greatest forgiveness of all when He laid His life down, taking on the sin of each and every one of us. If You, O Lord, kept a record of sins, who could stand?

But with You there is forgiveness; therefore, You are feared. (Psalm 130:3-4)

What is Forgiveness?

Forgiveness can be defined as a conscious, deliberate decision to release feelings of resentment or vengeance toward those who have harmed you, regardless of whether they deserve or ask for it (this may encompass physical, sexual, emotional, mental or spiritual offenses).

What Forgiveness is Not: Just as important as defining what forgiveness is, is understanding what forgiveness is not. It does not gloss over or

deny the seriousness of an offense against you. Forgiveness does not mean forgetting, nor does it mean condoning or excusing offenses. Though forgiveness can help repair a damaged relationship, it doesn’t obligate you to reconcile with the person who harmed you, or release them from legal accountability. Instead, forgiveness brings the forgiver peace of heart and mind and frees them from corrosive and destructive anger. Whether true forgiveness requires positive feelings toward the offender or not, experts agree that it at least involves letting go of deeply held negative feelings. In that way, it empowers you to recognise the pain you suffered without letting that pain define you, enabling you to heal and move on with your life.

There will be different instances we need to forgive and each one will carry with it, its own set of problems for us, but in every case if we hold on to unforgiveness, we are punishing ourselves and actually making ourselves sick. Unforgiveness causes bitterness that in the end permeates every sphere of our lives. The author of Hebrews says, see to it that no one misses the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many... (Hebrews 12:15-16) Bitterness cannot be maintained without spilling over and contaminating everyone with whom we come into contact.

From Scripture we learn the importance God places on forgiveness. We read about the unforgiving servant in Matthew 18:21-35 and the sober warning Jesus gives, “For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.” (Matthew 6:14-15)

1) Forgiveness of self

We face the need for forgiveness in four main areas of our lives but each one has the same negative outcome if we fail to address it: False humility has no place in God’s Kingdom and only true repentance warrants His forgiveness. However, sometimes we can feel we have failed “big time,” as His child and beat ourselves up to the point where we put distance between us and our Saviour. Staying on this road is futile and robs us of the life God wants us

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James 5:16 Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.

FORGIVENESS to embrace. Self-condemnation is destructive and will leave you hopeless.

Spurgeon writes on this, “Sin mourned and confessed, however black and foul, shall never shut a man out from the Lord Jesus.” Jesus says, “Whoever comes to me I will never drive away.” (John 6:37)

2) Forgiveness of God

Sometimes we can feel so overwhelmed by our circumstances that we blame God and become bitter toward Him. After all, He is all powerful, why would He allow this injustice, suffering, pain, death etc? Grief or trauma by their very nature disorientate us to the point of being beside ourselves and can drive us to blame God for our adversity.

Whilst He is big enough to absorb our anger and accusations, to remain in that place will bring us down further.

We are not alone when we have those feelings toward God. The Bible often portrays people of faith who at one time or another were in very dark places in terms of understanding His working in their lives. Jeremiah laments, “O Lord, you deceived me, and I was deceived; you overpowered me and prevailed....,” and “Why did I ever come out of the womb to see trouble and sorrow and to end my days in shame?”

(Jeremiah 20:7,18)

3) Forgiveness of a friend or loved one

This is possibly one of the hardest things for us to accept. However, if we remember our own weaknesses this may help us to keep short accounts with those we love.

Ecclesiastes 7:21-22 says, “Also, do not take seriously all words which are spoken, so that you will not hear your servant cursing you.

For you know that you likewise have many times cursed others.” Matthew Henry commenting on this verse remarks, “When any harm is done to us, examine whether we have not done as bad to others.”

4) Forgiveness of a stranger or enemy

Jesus famously says, “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbour and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you” (Matthew 5:43-44) We ought to pray for those who have hurt us the way we pray for ourselves in the Lord’s prayer......” May You be their Father in Heaven, may You forgive them ......”

Jesus was always concerned for the well-being of others, especially spiritually.

I find acrostics helpful to remind me of important principles. Here is mine for FORGIVE with our inclinations versus God’s best:

Fear versus Faith

Obstinacy versus Obedience Retention versus Release

Grumbling versus Gratitude Isolation versus Integration Vices versus Victory

Exhaustion versus Energised Ultimately, forgiveness is for our benefit and unforgiveness to our detriment.

Living lives that are full of grace and filling ourselves with God’s Spirit with all His attributes, will limit the root of bitterness taking hold and will instead spread the healing balm of Christ to a hurting and angry world. I love the descriptive analogy - “Forgiveness is the aroma the flower leaves on the sole of the foot that has crushed it into the ground”.

Terry Ann has three adult children and four grandchildren; she and her husband have been involved in ministry for 30 years.

Forgiveness Is The Aroma The Flower Leaves On The Sole Of The Foot That Has Crushed It Into The Ground.

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Colossians 3:13 Bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.

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FORGIVENESS

J

udith and Andrew’s marriage had always been fairly rocky. At one point Andrew had walked out and it was then that Judith found solace in Andrew’s best friend. She cried on the friend’s shoulder and in a short time developed a close relationship which was never sexual but was certainly emotionally intense. This rebound relationship did not last long (Judith’s conscience would not allow it) and Judith and Andrew eventually got back together and stayed married.

However, that event from the past remained with them. Judith was riddled with guilt and she felt terrible that she had been so easily and quickly enticed away.

When Andrew harped back to ‘the affair’ as he called it, Judith would get angry and defensive and deny there was ever anything in it. She was afraid to admit to the feelings she had developed for the man during that time. The incident, far from being forgotten and left behind, remained an ongoing issue in their relationship.

Dealing with Guilt

Judith could not forget what she had done.

Whenever Andrew flew at her with accusations, she would defend herself vehemently and deny that she had ever had any feelings for the friend; but inside she would condemn herself. She saw herself as cheap and deserving of all Andrew’s criticism of her and as a result, she lived with a heavy burden of guilt.

Effects of Guilt

Guilt is a reality that every single one of us

experiences. When we experience this guilt we are forced to realize we aren’t who we want to be; we feel the weight of our failures and our shortcomings. Guilt can be extremely debilitating. King David describes the guilt he felt like this, “My bones wasted away through my groaning all day long. For day and night Your hand was heavy upon me; my strength was sapped as in the heat of summer.” Psalm 32: 3-4 And again, “Because of Your wrath there is no health in my body...My guilt has overwhelmed me like a burden too heavy to bear.”

Psalm 38:3-4 (I would advise you to read the entire Psalm) As David reveals, guilt affects us physically - headaches, insomnia and nausea according to the magazine, Psychology Today. Guilt also results in us seeing ourselves as worthless and inferior to others. It carries with it a sense of shame and a belief that something is wrong with us and that, therefore, we must hide what we’re really like from others. Because we fear being exposed, we often become defensive (and reactive) or withdraw and close down.

So what is the answer to feelings of guilt?

Firstly, it is important to distinguish between real guilt and false guilt.

False Guilt

The rule of thumb is, “Have I broken God’s Law?” We can often feel guilty about things when we have not actually done anything wrong.

For example, you might feel guilty that you don’t earn more, or that you’re not slim like your husband’s sister, or that you’re not a fun-loving party animal like your wife. The rule of thumb for identifying real guilt is this: have you broken God’s law? If not, you are not guilty and you must declare yourself so.

Real Guilt

There are, of course, many times when our feelings of guilt come from those things we have done that are wrong and that do break one or more of God’s laws. All of us sin and fall short of His standard. Denying this fact does not help us, it simply hides the problem as David discovered, “When I kept silent my bones wasted away.” Psalm 32:3 As long as Judith denied that she had had any relationship with the friend, she continued to feel guilty and in fact, added to her guilt with the lies she knew she was telling Andrew.

The way we deal with real guilt is to be honest about it. If we have broken God’s law, we need to confess that to Him. Thankfully, God does not treat us as we deserve and He will forgive us if we ask Him to. David, again, wrote, I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord” - and You forgave the guilt of my sin. Psalm 32:9 “As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us.”

Psalm 103:12 This is what the Gospel is all about. Jesus, God’s Son was sent to earth to live just like

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Luke 6:37 Judge not, and you will not be judged; condemn not, and you will not be condemned; forgive, and you will be forgiven.

FORGIVENESS you and I do. He faced all the same temptations that you and I know so well.

However, He never gave in to a single temptation! He deserved a reward for the life He lived but instead He was crucified.

God chose to pour out on Him all of the judgment that you and I deserve. Jesus stepped in and took our place and in doing so, He made a way for us to know God again and to have a relationship with Him. Now, when we turn to God and ask for His forgiveness, God is willing to offer us what only Jesus originally deserved.

Jesus offered us a way out of guilt and gave us a hope greater than any we could possibly imagine. God offers us this forgiveness and a new beginning if we will do what He says, “Repent and believe the good news.” Mark 1:15 John White, a psychiatrist and author of the book, The Masks of Melancholy, tells the story of a 40-year old bachelor who was admitted to hospital suffering from depression, paranoid thinking and nihilistic delusions. There were two events from his earlier life that troubled him. John White recounts their conversation:

JW: “What about forgiveness?”

“I want that so bad.”

JW: “What does your priest say about

how you get to be forgiven?”

“We go to confession.”

JW: “Why would God forgive you?”

“Because Christ died. He shed His blood” JW: “So?” “I’m too bad for that.”

JW: “What do you mean you are too bad?”

JW was beginning to get angry as his patient said, “I don’t deserve to be forgiven.”

JW: “You’re darn right you don’t!”

His patient looked surprised, “ I can’t be a hypocrite.”

JW: (anger increasing): “And who do you

think you are to say Christ’s death was not enough for you? Who are you to feel you must add your miserable pittance to the great gift God offers you? Is His sacrifice not enough for the likes of you?”

He began to cry…and pray at once.

A week later the man said to JW, “It’s like I’ve been blind all my life and now - well now I can see!”

His depression lifted, as did the mania.

Ian is a Director of the Christian Counselling Centre.

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Galatians 5:22-23 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.

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FORGIVENESS

Healing Past Hurts

By Ian Wilsher

S

ome have more to forgive than others. Father Michael Lapsley, an Anglican Priest, lost both his hands and an eye when he was sent a letter bomb by South African apartheid regime security forces.

Michael Lapsley was born in New Zealand. He was ordained to the priesthood in Australia where he joined the religious order of the Society of the Sacred Mission (SSM). In 1973 he arrived in Durban, South Africa, as an undergraduate student. Soon thereafter, during the height of apartheid repression, he became chaplain to students at both black and white universities in Durban. In 1976, he began to speak out on behalf of schoolchildren who were being shot, detained and tortured. This was the year of the Soweto Uprising, which sparked protests across the country. Fr Michael, as he is known, was taking a stand in his role as national chaplain to Anglican students, a position he held at the time.

In September 1976, he was expelled from the country. He went to live in Lesotho, where he continued his studies and became a member of the African National Congress and a chaplain to the organisation in exile. During this period, he travelled the world, mobilising Christian communities, in particular, to oppose apartheid and support the liberation struggle.

Letter Bomb

After a SA police raid in Maseru in 1982 in which 42 people were killed, he moved to Zimbabwe. It was here that in 1990, three months after ANC leader Nelson Mandela’s release from prison, he was sent a letter bomb by the Civil Cooperation Bureau, a covert outfit of the apartheid security forces. It was hidden inside two religious magazines. He lost both hands and the sight in one eye in the blast, and was seriously burnt.

From Victim to Survivor to Victor

How does one deal with such an unjust and barbaric act? Michael said, “For me it is always important to say that I had a sense that God was with me - that the great promise of the Scriptures had been kept - Lo I am with you always even to the end of the age.

(Matthew 28:20) What enabled him to heal? This is what Michael Lapsley had to say: “If I became filled with hatred, bitterness, self-pity and desire for revenge, I would remain a victim forever. It would consume me. It would eat me alive. God and people of faith and hope enabled me to make my bombing redemptive - to bring life out of death, the good out of the evil.... I am no longer a victim, nor even simply a survivor, I am a victor over evil, hatred and death.” *

*Michael Lapsley, “Bearing the Pain On Our Bodies,” in H.R. Botsman and R.M. Peterson, eds., To Remember and to Heal (Cape Town: Human & Rousseau, 1926), p. 21.

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Acts 2:38 And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

FORGIVENESS There is a time for anger and pain. But painful memories, be it individual or collective ones, can destroy a person or group.

Only the ones who are able to face and address their anger are able to overcome it and become open to a new beginning. This insight is voiced by Father Michael Lapsley speaking from personal experience.

Arising from his own journey from being victim to survivor to victor, Lapsley developed a ‘healing of memories’ model and holds workshops to groups around the world, suffering from post-conflict memories and pain. His work led to the establishment, in 1998, of the Institute for Healing of Memories (IHOM) in Cape Town. The IHOM aims to allow many more South Africans to tell their stories in workshops where they work through their trauma.

One of South Africa’s great leaders, Chief Albert Lutuli, once said, “Those who think of themselves as victims eventually become the victimisers of others.”

This is as much true of what happens in the privacy of the bedroom as within nations and between nations. We don’t have to look very far to find dramatic examples. People do terrible things to others because of what was done to them. It may not be a conscious reaction.

Individuals who have not been healed of their childhood abuse will become perpetrators of harm in their marriages and families when they are adults.

Here in Zimbabwe, if we are to have true reconciliation and be a united Zimbabwean family, each ethnic group will have to come to terms with the unjust things that have been done to them personally and to them as a group. This process (of dealing with the anger and forgiving) is the only way we can get to the place where we accept and value each other and therefore find a true unity: a unity where old deep wounds are healed and where ‘us and them’ no longer exists: a unity in which each different ethnic group embraces and supports each other group, a unity in which each group believes they are a part of the whole: a unity which rejoices in our diversity.

Dealing with the anger and forgiving needs to work hand in hand with each individual and group taking responsibility for their actions and asking for forgiveness (for their own actions and that of their people’s).

This must start in the church. We who are Christians, who have tasted the forgiveness and grace of our Lord, must lead the way.

As individuals we need to demonstrate His grace by forgiving those who have sinned against us (whether they have acknowledged their wrongdoing or not). We also need to confess our sin and ask forgiveness from those whom we have sinned against.

This includes those wrongs we have committed personally but also the wrongs committed by our people. (See Nehemiah’s prayer where he confesses the sins of ‘we Israelites’ - Nehemiah 1:6) Post Script: We had the privilege of meeting Fr Michael when he ran a Healing of Memories Workshop at the Christian Counselling Centre. However much of the information in this article is taken from the Healing of Memories website: www.healing-memories.org

Ian is a Director of the Christian Counselling Centre.

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James 2:8 If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing well.

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FORGIVENESS

IN THE CASE OF JUSTICE VS FORGIVENESS

By Margi Grobbelaar

T

has been falsely accused of crossing the solid white line? No, the only sleepless one will be the single woman.

he courtroom was deadly quiet; the only sound a fly buzzing at the window and the old ceiling fan sluggishly turning the hot air. The accused, in his shabby, khaki prison clothes, stood to attention in the dock, his knuckles white as he clutched the rail tightly. The magistrate cleared her throat and said, “Joseph Brown, you have been found guilty of the rape of Louisa Green. I sentence you to a term of ten years in prison, of which sentence five years is suspended on condition...”

“Your Honour!” interrupted the accused, “Ten years! That’s not fair! I’ve repented.

I’ve truly repented! I’ve given my life to the Lord and I know He’s forgiven me. And Louisa has forgiven me. She told you that. “ “Be quiet, Mr. Brown!” said the magistrate sternly. “If you had been listening properly, you would have heard me say that I took into account that you have repented and been forgiven, as a mitigating factor. That is why I have suspended part of your sentence. However, you still have to serve a sentence for your crime - pay your debt to society. You need to learn the difference between forgiveness and justice.”

The girl who was sexually molested ten years ago, who is suffering from such bitterness that it affects her life and relationships, is giving her molester continued power over her life, is allowing him to continue that abuse to this day.

When we cling to bitterness, hoping one day to achieve fairness or revenge or retribution, or even recognition, we hurt ourselves. The Lord asks us to forgive, not so that we will be ‘little goody two-shoes”* but so that we can be free, and also so that we can truly benefit from His forgiveness of us. If you are full of bitterness, there is no room in your heart for what He has for you.

This little story from the court room raises a valid question. What is the difference between justice and forgiveness?

But what happens when justice isn’t done and the culprit doesn’t repent? Letting go can be an enormous task.

In a way, justice is to do with the culprit and forgiveness to do with the victim.

Many people have a wrong idea of what forgiveness is. They believe that if they forgive a perpetrator they are saying, “It’s OK. It doesn’t matter what you did. I’ll give up seeking justice.”

Let me tell you about a girl I am close to, whom I shall call Lucy. She is a strong Christian and a lovely girl, with a happy disposition, but she is naïve. She fell in love with a man who tricked her into a vulnerable situation and then brutally raped her. He didn’t deny it, but said she was a willing partner. He is a man with very powerful connections, but with great difficulty we were able to get him arrested and charged. The evidence that she was not a ‘willing partner’ was strong but we were warned to be careful as he could be in a position to tamper with the evidence.

Sure enough he did, and was acquitted.

We were in a position to take this further, but doing so would have caused

That’s not it. It’s about helping yourself, not the perpetrator. Who hurts from unforgiveness - the victim or the perpetrator? Sometimes the latter isn’t even aware of the pain they have caused, or they don’t care, or they are even happy about it. Does the corrupt policeman lie wracked with guilt at night over extorting money from a young single woman who

Forgiveness is letting go for your own sake.

It is recognising that a thing has happened, cannot be undone, and deciding to move on from it; to not allow the perpetrator to have continued power over us, disturbing our peace and mental health.

considerable risk to other people, so Lucy chose to leave it.

It was devastating. I was very worried about Lucy’s mental health as a result.

Fortunately, with the help from counselling at the Christian Counselling Centre and her church, the love and support of friends and family and her strong faith she has been able to move on and let go of the bitterness, the bitterness that could have caused her much harm.

She has forgiven the man, yet still believes he needs to face justice, and her faith tells her he will. She and her family quote the Bible - Vengeance is mine, says the Lord (Deuteronomy 32:35) - and believe that ultimately the Lord’s justice, not hers, will be done.

A word of caution - I often come across Christians who airily say - “Oh, I’ve forgiven them.” You can see that actually they haven’t. They’re saying it because they know it’s required of them as a Christian, and although they mean it, in reality they haven’t forgiven at all and are just denying the issue, or avoiding it, or stuffing it down.

Often, even unbeknownst to them, they don’t realise that their current difficulties are stemming from that unforgiveness.

Forgiveness is not easy and the worse the abuse, the harder it is. It can take time. We need to acknowledge and face the extent of our pain, and tell the Lord that we are willing to at least start the process of trying to do what He asks, using His strength. With God’s help, working as hard as we can, we really can let go and be free. * The History of Little Goody Two-Shoes is a children’s story published by John Newbery in London in 1765. The story popularized the phrase “goody two-shoes”, often used to describe an excessively virtuous person, a do-gooder.

Margi is a counsellor at The Christian Counselling Centre.

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John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.

FORGIVENESS

S

Out of Jail

By Peter McKenzie

itting at a table with a man who had just served 15 years for murder, I was reminded of God’s gracious forgiveness that He lavishes on us. This man had a wonderful, friendly countenance that completely belied his past life of crime and violence. When asked by another at our dinner table what crime he had committed, his answer was simple, but clear - ‘I don’t want to remember.’

You see, the forgiveness of sins is not just a clearing of the charges that were laid against us. It was much more than this - in fact your sin and my sin were cast into the sea of forgetfulness, upon which there is a sign which states - ‘No fishing!’

Forgiveness, the Bible tells us, is the putting away of sin. In other words, it is never to be seen again. So if this is the case, why do we want to talk about it, or even give glamour to it when we testify to God’s deliverance upon our lives. In my experience, too often those believers who constantly refer to their old life, usually go back to it.

Jesus tells us, “If the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed” (John 8:36). This freedom does not carry even the smell of the old life. Jesus paid the price in full. His sacrifice was complete, which means that we can move forward and never have to look back. This is the miracle of the born-again experience. It’s not something we need to work at, or even strive for - no way! In Christ we are free.

Going back to the dinner table, I knew that my friend had come to receive the Lord whilst still in prison. His freedom started that very day, even though he still had nearly ten more years of his jail sentence to serve. When he finally left his incarceration, and came through those steel doors for the last time, he told me it was just the same as moving country.

The real freedom was in his heart. Freedom from the past, the guilt, the shame - all of this came through Christ the day he gave his life to the Lord. This is the revelation that we all need. It will lift us out of our apathy, and motivate us to serve the Lord. We will seek the Lord earnestly for the salvation of our friends and be ready to proclaim His Word whenever and wherever we can.

The reality of the forgiveness of God will get your engines going, that’s for sure!

I am reminded of another murderer, the Apostle Paul. He was so full of gratitude for his forgiveness that his sole ambition was to preach the Gospel where no other man had preached. This same burning passion has seen countless men and women take the message of Calvary to the most treacherous tribes and harshest nations. It all started through the forgiveness of their sin.

Maybe it’s the right time for you to pause for a moment and realise exactly what Christ has done for you, and to rejoice with all your heart in the freedom His forgiveness has brought to you. Well, that’s the way I see it.

Peter is a husband, a grandfather, coffee connoisseur and dedicated preacher of the message of the cross in Africa and beyond.

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Romans 3:23 For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

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TESTIMONY

Caught in Cross Fire

by George Hawkins

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n April 1979, I turned 23. I had acquired a Shona name: Zindoga, which in English means the man who walks alone, who is independent, self-sufficient, and self-reliant. I was proud of my name and lived up to its meaning.

In May 1979, I walked into a night club which had a live band. A policeman from the C.I.D. was also in the club. He was meant to be on duty so was issued with a weapon. As time went on, he entered into an altercation with the bouncers, pulled out his weapon and started shooting into the roof. I was shot through the right side of the head. Prof. Levy, who operated on me, said he had to remove one seventh of my brain because of the damaged skull, where the bullet went out. I was able to fit the whole of my little finger into it. My parents were told that if I lived I would most probably be a cabbage. Christians, who were complete strangers, came to visit me because my accident was reported in the newspaper. The Esther prayer group prayed for me as well.

When I woke up from my coma, I was told what had happened. In my heart I thanked God for giving me a second chance.

Zindoga was dead, but I now had to learn to talk and walk again so I went to St Giles and Tsanga Lodge rehab centres. In the

meantime, Christians began to accept and love me. Two years after the accident Prof.

Levy operated on me again to cover the hole with a plate. I met a nurse and fell in love; we became engaged in early 1981.

Then in November 1981, I went to church and gave my heart and life to Jesus Christ.

Within a week my fiancée walked out of my life. I not only lost a friend, but all HOPE. I began to contemplate suicide.

The lady in charge of occupational therapy in St Giles was a Christian, so I went to see her. She told me of a place called Bread of Life; it was a Christian community for the rehabilitation of drug addicts and alcoholics. It was full of ex-soldiers who also had lost hope and purpose in life, and found escape through drugs and drink.

Every day we came under the ministry of the word of God. John 1:1 In the beginning (before all time) was the Word (Christ) and the Word was with God, and the Word was God Himself.

I stayed there for the rest of 1981 and the whole of 1982. Then in 1983, I enrolled in ACTS bible school as hope had been restored and I needed to learn more about it. In June 1984 I went to Youth with a Mission where I learned to serve. I stayed there until 1990 when I felt the Lord prompting me to disciple in the churches in Bulawayo. I met my future wife, Sheila

Baker, there in U.A.F.C. We both ran our school called “Within the Fold Ministries” until 2004 when we came to Harare to look after my mother. We ran two schools in Greystone Park Fellowship. Then in March 2011 we joined Cornerstone Glen Forest.

Unfortunately my wife, Sheila, fell ill with bronchitis and never recovered.

Sheila and I were going to celebrate our 22nd wedding anniversary on 19 March 2016, when she succumbed to cirrhosis of the liver and went to be with the Lord on 12 March 2016. I would like to share how the Lord ministered healing to me through His word: Isaiah 53: 4-6 Surely He has borne our GRIEFS – SICKNESS, WEAKNESS and DISTRESS – and carried our SORROW and PAIN (of punishment). Yet we ignorantly considered Him stricken, smitten and afflicted by God (as if with leprosy). But He was wounded for our TRANSGRESSIONS, He was bruised for our GUILT and INIQUITIES; His chastisement needful to obtain PEACE and WELLBEING for us was upon Him, and with the stripes that wounded Him we are HEALED and made WHOLE. All we like sheep have gone astray, we have turned everyone to his own way; and the Lord has made to light on Him the GUILT and INIQUITY of us all.

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Daniel 9:9 To the Lord our God belong mercy and forgiveness, for we have rebelled against Him.

RELATIONSHIPS TESTIMONY When we are:

The next step is:

HURT: (1 Peter 5:7) Casting the whole of your care – all your anxieties, all of your worries, all of your concerns, once and for all – on Him; for He cares for you affectionately, and cares about you watchfully.

REBELLION: (1 Samuel 15:23) For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as idolatry, because you have rejected the word of the Lord, He also has rejected you from being king.

If not dealt with it becomes: RESENTMENT: (Romans 12:14) Bless those who persecute you – who are cruel in their attitude towards you; bless and do not curse them (vs. 15): (share others’ joy), rejoicing with those who rejoice; and share others’ grief, weeping with those who weep.

If still not dealt with, it becomes: BITTERNESS: (Hebrews 12:15) Looking diligently lest anyone fall short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble, and by this many become defiled.

If still not dealt with, it turns into: HATRED: (Romans 16:17) Now I urge you brethren, note those who cause divisions and offences, contrary to the doctrine which you learned, and avoid them.

(Philippians 3:13&14) I do not consider brethren, that I have captured and made it my own yet; but one thing I do – it is my one aspiration: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead. I press on toward the goal to win the (supreme and heavenly) prize to which God in Christ Jesus is calling us upward.

(1Corinthians 13:13) And so faith, hope, love abide: FAITH: Conviction and belief respecting man’s relation to God and divine things.

perfect love casts our fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love. We love Him because He first loved us.

(Jeremiah 29: 11-13) For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon Me, and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart.

I have had to deal with distress, hurt and pain, and through His word and the love of fellow Christians, God has ministered to me in a mighty way and brought not only salvation, but also hope and healing. He has walked me through the tragedies I have faced and enabled me to find meaning and joy in Him.

HOPE: Joyful and confident expectation of eternal salvation LOVE: True affection for God and man, growing out of God’s love for and in us.

These three, but the greatest of these is love.

(1 John 4:18-19) There is no fear in love; but

George lost his beloved wife and companion of 22 years in March this year. He attended the Grief Support Group in June and is slowly coming to terms with being alone.

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Proverbs 17:9 Whoever covers an offense seeks love, but he who repeats a matter separates close friends.

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SPIRITUAL GROWTH

Do You Belong?

By Ian Rea

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ave you ever wondered whether you belong?

Imagine for a moment that you were born into a family which never paid any attention to you. Suppose that your parents and siblings never gave you a chance to express your personal views or desires. Suppose that they never shared the family resources with you. Would you feel part of such a family? Would you feel like you belonged?

People can be made to feel like they do not belong to families, organisations, societies and even nations. Let us face it, selfish and ambitious people do not create an environment where others feel like they belong, particularly when such people are in a position of leadership. In many cases, leaders do not make a conscious decision to erode their followers’ sense of belonging, but sometimes they do.

dangerous to Satan. Satan does not want you free. Not at all! He wants you to be bound up by feelings of fear, apathy, powerlessness and worthlessness. And if you have believed Satan’s lie that you do not belong, then you will be bound by all these things.

Do you feel like you do not belong?

If you do, what can you do about it?

The key to countering Satan’s lies is to recognise them for what they are, reject them and then replace the lies with the truth. These three verbs, all beginning with “R”, have been called the 3Rs. But what is the truth?

Firstly, the Bible says, “To all who received [Christ], to those who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God-- children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God” (John 1:12-13).

However, let us not be too quick to see humans as the root of the problem. They are not.

If you have received Christ and believed in His name, you belong to God’s family! You are His son or daughter.

Satan does not want you to feel like you belong, whether it is to your family, church, organisation or nation. Why? Simply because Satan does not want a single human to be free. Free people are

So even if your earthly family has rejected you, you belong to God’s. In this regard the Psalmist writes: “Though my father and mother forsake me, the LORD will receive me” Psalms 27:10.

Secondly, the Bible says that, “From one man [God] made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and He determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live” (Acts 17:24-26) (Emphasis mine).

So you are living in our beloved Zimbabwe at this time because God determined it.

You are not here by accident.

Therefore, do not let Satan or any mere human lead you to believe that you do not belong. If you allow this to happen, Satan will render you powerless to fulfil the purpose that God has for your life. Satan recognises that you are “God’s workmanship (this word could be translated masterpiece), created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for [you] to do” (Ephesians 2:10); therefore, he will do everything he can to distract you from the work God has planned for your life.

Don’t believe Satan’s lies. Recognise, reject and replace the lies. You belong. Live in the freedom of belonging and act as someone who belongs. God has work for you to do.

Ian is a Pastor of Harvest Fellowship Church.

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Acts 10:43 To Him all the prophets bear witness that everyone who believes in Him receives forgiveness of sins through His Name.

SPIRITUAL SPIRITUALGROWTH GROWTH

The Amazing Word Of God

By Justice Marwisa

I

n a world with so many uncertainties, how can a man live in peace? In a world with so much evil what helps a person keep to a straight path?

I am persuaded that the Word of God is that unimaginable treasure. The Apostle Paul writes, “For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, so that we, through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope.” (Romans 15:4).

It’s clear to me that the Word of God is an amazing tool available to help me deal with the challenges of life. There are many times when I have felt down and have read God’s Word and have been so encouraged as a result. The following are just a few illustrations of what I continue to learn daily from God’s Word:

1. When facing trials and

temptations:

Many times I fail to meet the standard in terms of righteousness. My encouragement is just knowing that God is gracious. I read in His Word of the people God forgave and I am encouraged not to give up. David, a man after God’s own heart lusted after Bathsheba, committed adultery and had Uriah killed. Yet when He repented, God’s grace was available for him to continue in the faith. When I face temptations I have come to realise that God is faithful and He will not allow us to be tempted beyond what we can endure and with every temptation he has a way of getting us through it (1 Corinthians 10.13).

2. When I feel like I’m going through a long dry patch:

There are times I feel like I have had a long walk in the wilderness. Things are a bit slow for my liking. I am not where I should be. I lack what I think is fundamental to my living. I don’t have enough money for fees, food, petrol and many other basic needs.

What do I learn from the Word of God in

such an instance? I take encouragement from the story of the children of Israel when God delivered them from Pharaoh.

They undertook a great journey for 40 years in the wilderness, during which time they struggled with lack of many things - even basics like food and water. I get encouraged to note from this story that those who continued in their walk of faith managed to get into the Promised Land to partake of the land full of milk and honey.

The story teaches me perseverance and knowing what God has promised me. I then find myself picking myself up from my place of sorrow, to look forward to what God will fulfil in my life.

3. When worry engulfs me:

Our current socio-economic and political environment is a fertile ground for worry.

Questions cross my mind, “Will I afford fees for my children next term?” “How will the political environment turn out in the next three months?” “Will we go back to the hyperinflation period?” And so on...

Matthew 6.25-34 gives me such assurance of how God cares so much for my well-being. I look back to where I have come from and remember God’s provision and feel God’s peace as I read through this portion of Scripture. I usually end my day with the confession that He who has called me and who is my Father in Heaven cares so much about my welfare.

I learn from God’s Word, how great our God is and how we are not on our own in this world. I would like to encourage you to take the Word of God for what it is... written for our exhortation. We need to create the habit of reading the His Word so that our faith in God is continuously built up.

Let me just conclude by mentioning that man has a tendency to forget; he has a tendency to be afraid; he has a tendency to lose faith. But God is faithful. His Word is available to guide and strengthen us as we face various challenges in this life and in our walk of faith. Be blessed as you read the Word of God.

ANCIENT WORDS

written by Lynn De Shazo, sung by Michael W Smith Holy words long preserved For our walk in this world They resound with God’s own heart O let the ancient words impart Words of life Words of hope Give us strength Help us cope In this world where’er we roam Ancient words will guide us home CHORUS: Ancient words ever true Changing me and changing you We have come with open hearts O let the ancient words impart Holy words of our faith Handed down to this age Came to us through sacrifice O heed the faithful words of Christ Holy words long preserved For our walk in this world They resound with God’s own heart O let the ancient words impart (c) 2001 Integrity’s Hosanna! Music Michael W Smith Justice is a counsellor at The Christian Counselling Centre.

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Mark 11:25 And whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father also who is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.

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SPIRITUAL GROWTH

When Prayers Seem to Go Unanswered

By Sas Kirk

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y son contacted me and asked me to pray for his friends who had heard that the baby they were expecting had serious heart problems and that her future looked tenuous and fraught with difficulties.

Little did I realise that my commitment to pray would lead me into an outpouring of God’s faithfulness and a glimpse of what the sovereignty of God was all about. My immediate, desperate prayers were for the baby’s healing, for valves and muscles and veins to be miraculously moulded into perfect being. For weeks I expected to hear that the latest prenatal scan showed a perfectly formed and perfectly functioning heart. Instead, we heard how her condition seemed to be worsening, how added complications made her chances of survival to full term delivery slim. I started to share the story and encouraged others to pray. For weeks we prayed, never avoiding a request for complete healing. With each message of furthering complications, I must confess to pangs of disappointment and even waves of frustration. “When, Oh Lord, would your miraculous powers be known?”

And then one day it struck me. A friend’s words as she prayed aloud shifted my perspective. She prayed, “Lord, may Your Kingdom be expanded because of this unborn child.” For a

second, God gave me a glimpse of the situation from His perspective. While we battle in our limited understanding here on earth, mighty things are accomplished in realms beyond our understanding. The Scripture from Isaiah 55 flooded back to me, “For My thoughts are not your thoughts. Neither are your ways My ways,” declares the Lord. God saw things differently and as I started to submit to His loving sovereignty, He gave me more and more evidence of the miracles He was achieving because people had turned to Him in need. And the miracles will continue as more and more people hear the story of this remarkable family.

Today, at the time of writing, Lucy is 4 weeks old. She is tiny and frail and connected to tubes and wires that help keep her alive.

She appears to be a fragile vessel that has little potential for power.

The world would question how such a vulnerable being could change people’s lives? And yet, because of Lucy and the faithfulness of her young parents, individuals all over the world have fallen on their knees and sought God. Tears have been earnestly shed, moments put on hold while hearts are poured out to God. Groups of people all over the world have come together to hold up Lucy and her plight before the God of heaven.

Strangers have prayed together earnestly and parted as

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John 13:34 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.

COUNSELLING SPIRITUAL GROWTH

companions. In the face of the enormity of what Lucy’s family is going through, trivial issues that could cause faithful people to stumble in their walk with the Lord have been reduced to their appropriate inconsequence and have lost their power to dishearten. Testimonies of God’s faithfulness and His ever-present mercy have flown across miles as people fervently seek to bring comfort to a family they have never met. And everyone who hears of Lucy and her battle, hear the witness of a young couple who, exhausted and unsure of their daughter’s future, hold fast to the truth that God is sovereign and that He is firmly in control. In all the communication that we have about this precious family, that truth has rung out resoundingly and has stood as a marvel of faithfulness.

Trusting in the Lord with all our hearts and not leaning on our own understanding, we commit our ways and the ways of young Lucy into the hands of a loving and compassionate God. That is the greater miracle.

Sas Kirk is a Counsellor at Chisipite Senior School.

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Romans 12:20 If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.

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SPIRITUAL GROWTH

Get On With Life

By Mark Phillips

T

he God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by hands. And He is not served by human hands, as if He needed anything, because He Himself gives all men life and breath and everything else. From one man He made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and He determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live. God did this so that men would seek Him and perhaps reach out for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each of us. For in Him we live and move and have our being.

As some of your own poets have said, we are His offspring. (Acts 17: 24-28) In spending a lot of time with people, one of my concerns is just how much apathy there is: a general lack of enthusiasm or interest in most things. People are surviving not thriving, most of the time. I hear so often, “What difference does it make”, “What can I do”, “It won’t help”. As adults and parents, if we are struggling to find meaning and purpose and some zeal, then how much more are our children?

One of the saddest things for me in Zimbabwe is that hardly anyone thinks, believes, or feels they belong. Young and old don’t feel there is a future for them in Zimbabwe.

Well I want to ask you today, do you believe God and do you believe God at His Word?

God made the world and everything in it.

He is the Lord of the Heavens and the earth. He gives you life and breath and everything else. It was His decree that we should inhabit the whole earth and He determined the times and the exact place that you should live.

This is so firstly, we might seek Him and reach out to Him and find Him: this, right

now, is the best place and time in all the universe for you to seek and find and reach out to God. God is doing everything He can to get the attention of every single person who is alive today. He’s doing everything He can to save each and every person, even going so far as determining the time and place for every one of us.

The second reason we are on this earth is to inhabit it - to take care of it. In Genesis God tells the man He had created to be fruitful and multiply, fill the earth and subdue it, and to rule over everything. We are stewards of what belongs to God. So for now, you belong right here - by God’s decree and by God’s mandate. Do not let anyone, ever try to convince you otherwise. You belong and you have a job to do. We are to be the best we can with whatever we have right now! Not tomorrow, not when the economy is right, not when the politics change.

For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. (Jeremiah 29: 11) We all love to quote this kind of verse. But most of us don’t really know the story before God says this: Jeremiah 29: 4-7 This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says to all those I carried into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon: Build houses and settle down; plant gardens and eat what they produce. Marry and have sons and daughters; find wives for your sons and give your daughters in marriage, so that they too may have sons and daughters.

Increase in number there; do not decrease.

Also, seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the Lord for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper.

It is quite unlikely that anyone in Zimbabwe has ever been as badly off as these Israelites: beaten in battle, carried off into exile, slaves to an aggressor, captives in a foreign land. And yet God says - I carried you there, I determine your place and time.

What does God say to these poor defeated wretches? GET ON WITH IT! Get on with life. Build houses and settle down. Plant a garden. Marry and have sons and daughters. Seek the peace and prosperity of your city. Peace yes, but prosperity? For my enemies?

And how, anyway? By investing in it? Why is Zimbabwe struggling so much today?

I believe because people do not believe they belong and are not fully investing themselves in the life God has given them.

Building houses is investing, planting gardens, seeking prosperity is investing.

Do you want to be blessed and prosper - seek the prosperity of even your enemies, and bless them? Because God has determined their time and place as well - that they might seek and reach out and find God - He wants to save them just as much as He wants to save you.

God says, “Increase and do not decrease”.

You belong right here right now by God’s decree to do God’s bidding. And if you get carried off into captivity and foreign lands, or kicked out of this one - just get on with the same where ever the Lord takes you.

Give all you’ve got. This kind of life lived to the glory of God, committed and enthusiastic for Him, is the best example we can give our children. And it will save us too!

Mark is the Senior Minister at Highlands Presbyterian Church and is married with three teenage kids.

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Zechariah 1:3 Return to Me, says the Lord of Hosts, and I will return to you.

GOSPEL

Was He Who He Said He Was?

By Craig Roberts

The existence of God, or a divine being, is something that hovers in the background of our minds. Those thoughts may surface in the moments before going to sleep at night, or periods of rest from our increasingly busy lives when we allow the big questions of life, such as, “Why am I here?” and, “What happens after the grave?” to enter into our thinking. Often fear, or the daily grind, prevents us from exploring the most important questions of all.

Philosophers have argued for many years over who or what is behind everything that we see and know. Evolutionists would argue against divine creation in the name of science - and many of us would have been taught that during our high school years. It is important to note however, that the very essence of science is observation and for that reason evolution is not a science as it has not been observed - it is a theory, a belief. There are also unanswered questions that point to a Creator - such as emotions that we feel, the sense of right and wrong, and the perfectly ordered functioning of our universe - these cannot be ignored.

There is a story told of twins in the womb. And while they were swimming around in the dark, the one turned to the other and said, “I am telling you there is something else out there. I hear sounds. I hear music. There is something else!” The other said, “Don’t be silly!

This is all there is! Enjoy it, it is warm, we are safe, yes there isn’t too much to see, but get over it, this is all there is!”

It is incredible to think that we have already lived in two realms. In the womb, we were more like fish, we received all we needed in liquid form through our umbilical cord. And then at birth we move into the realm we are in today, we start to breathe, we eat and drink, enjoy sunshine, and the list could go on. Since we have already lived in two realms, it is not actually very strange that there could be a third realm: different from what we have previously known. I believe without a shadow of a doubt there is a third realm - the spiritual realm.

There is no doubt that Jesus Christ existed and is the most influential person that ever lived. You just have to look at the date today - 2017 AD. The calendar denotes the year of Jesus’ birth *(Latin: anno domini). The question is whether He was who He said He was - The one true God, Our Saviour, Our Lord, Our King.

In the Bible, in a book written by Luke, Jesus says that we will find Him if we seek Him with all our hearts. (Luke11:9) My challenge to you today is to explore the Christian Faith with an open mind and heart. I know you will not be disappointed, and Jesus will reveal Himself to you. * A.D. does not mean ‘after death,’ as many people suppose. ‘B.C.’ stands for the English phrase ‘before Christ,’ but ‘A.D.’ stands for a Latin phrase: anno domini (“in the year of the Lord”-the year Jesus was born).

Craig is a newly appointed associate pastor at Harvest Church in Harare. He is married to Sarah and they have two lovely girls.

Ian is a pastor at Harvest Felowship Church.

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1 John 1:8 If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.

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SPORTS YOUTH

2017 Goal Getter

BY VIC PAUNGANWA

“But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith. I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead. Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.”

Philippians 3:7-12 NIV I am always blown away by the incredible focus which the Apostle Paul had towards fulfilling his goal of spreading the Gospel of Jesus Christ. He counted everything else as rubbish compared to knowing His Lord. For years, he stayed true to his course and calling despite the tremendous challenges which he faced along the way. At the end of his day he could honestly say, “I have fought the good fight, I have run the race...” and boy, did he deserve the crown that awaited him.

Why is it that people today seem to struggle to stay on course once they have set their goals?

How often have you set New Year’s resolutions only to give them up by week three of January? Others decide to give up something for Lent but then their ‘fast’ only lasts five days. I hope that, through this article, you will learn some tips on how to become a goal getter not just a goal setter.

Go Big or Go Home!

One of the biggest reasons why we fail to achieve our goals is because we set such small, pathetic goals for ourselves, which are easy to achieve. A good goal is a big goal, one that gets the butterflies going and makes you think, “This is going to take everything in me to achieve it.”

to the Dream Giver. You must set goals that will force you to rely on God. Small goals will not make you dig deep or pursue them with everything you’ve got. Do you want to know if your goal is a good one? Then start by asking yourself if it is challenging enough. Paul’s vision for a church that would change the world was massive. His dream was to preach the Gospel to the Gentiles.

Now that was a big goal!

Why? Why is it a must that this goal is achieved? The reason for the achievement of the goal is the fuel that keeps us working towards it when the going gets tough. Don’t say, “I am going to try and achieve my goal this year.”

Rather declare that, “I must achieve this goal because...”

If you were to share your aspirations with me, the first thing I would ask you is how committed you were to achieving that goal. The man who said, “For me to live is Christ and to die is gain” had had his ‘why’ transformed from destroying the church to seeing the Kingdom of God extended.

His strong desire made him a high achiever and one of the most influential church leaders ever. So, before you set your goals for 2017, be sure to have a good reason why it is a must that you achieve. it

These great big goals scare us and turn our focus from ourselves

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Psalm 103:11-12 For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us.

PROJECTS YOUTH

Action-Action Our resounding war cry if we are to be goal getters this year is ‘Action-Action Hey!’ You can think big, you can have a why that makes you cry, but if you don’t take action nothing will happen. Some action towards your dream must be taken daily. The book of James urges us to not just be hearers of the Word but doers of the Word. Show me your faith by what you do not by what you say.

This year, don’t share your New Year’s resolutions or your big aim with your friends and family; just show it. Make like Nike and Just do it or follow Lenovo’s catch phrase, ‘For those who do’.

Our nation is full of people who are big talkers but small doers. Is it not crazy that 80% of our nation goes to church yet there is little evidence of a people living to fulfil God’s purposes? We need more to be like Joseph, Esther, David, Peter and Paul, who being led by the Spirit achieved great and mighty things.

Write it Down The final bit of advice from Mr P is, write it down. There is something powerful about a written goal compared to one floating in your head. Our role model Paul articulated his goal clearly in his letter to the Colossians: “I have become its servant by the commission God gave me to present to you the word of God in its fullnessthe mystery that has been kept hidden for ages and generations, but is now disclosed to the Lord’s people. To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. He is the one we proclaim, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone fully mature in Christ. To this end I strenuously contend with all the energy Christ so powerfully works in me.” Colossians 1:25-29 NIV This was Paul’s incredible goal, to present the Word of God in its fullness. Whatever it is that you wish to accomplish this year, I encourage you to strenuously contend to this end with all the energy Christ will so powerfully work within you.

Vic has been in independEnt education for 19 years having taught at Carmel, Ruzawi and Peterhouse Boys School. He currently runs a study centre in Harare.

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Luke 23:34 And Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” And they cast lots to divide His garments.

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2017 PLANNER

Plan for a Fruitful 2017 A Step-by Step guide to help you make the changes you’d truly love to/need to make this new year!

By Laurie Thompson

Here is a great way to prayerfully assess where you are at, and then to evaluate what goals or plans the Lord would have you accomplish in the months ahead.

The Graph of Life

How satisfied are you with the different areas of your life? Where are you at now?

Where would you love to be? (Where would the Lord love you to be?) What do you need to change?

Step 1:

For each of the areas in the table on the right, circle a number from 1 to 10. (1 indicates you are LEAST satisfied, 10 indicates you are completely satisfied and couldn’t be happier) Your overall satisfaction may change from day to day, but try to give an overall assessment of where you are at present.

Step 2: Join the circled numbers together to form a graph.

Step 3: Prayerfully reflect and

consider what area/s of your life you want to focus on improving?”

Step 4: Choose between one and

three of these areas (a maximum of 3) to focus on for the next 6 months.

Step 5: Set some time aside to seek

the Lord. Prayerfully ask Him – “Lord, what specifically do you want me to do to improve in this area of my life?”

Step 6: Write out a very specific plan

accomplished each week or each month, so that you can track your progress and ensure you are making progress towards the accomplishment of your goal?

A = ACTIONS: Can you identify specific action steps you will need to take to accomplish your goal. Eg. Discuss the plan with my wife/ husband, agree a time/ place/ method, discuss with my children, agree on a time and date to start… etc.

R = RESPONSIBLE: Your goals must be within your control to fulfil – not ‘we need to’, or ‘they must…’ These are YOUR goals and you must accept responsibility to accomplish them. So, ‘I will aim to….’

T = TIME FRAME: When will you start, how long. A time frame makes you take it seriously. Not sometime or whenever!

Step 7: Write out your goal/s and

place them where you will see and be reminded of them. You may choose to set weekly or monthly targets for each of these goals. In each week/month, detail all the action steps you need to take to achieve your goal/s.

Choose a great treat to reward yourself on the accomplishment of your milestone for that week/month.

Step 8:Ask someone to be your

accountability partner to ensure you remain faithful and motivated to fulfil your milestones and to achieve your goals for 2017.

The Graph of Life Physical Needs (Home, Possessions, Cars) 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Physical Health and Fitness: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Emotional Health and Well-being: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Relationship with the Lord: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Marriage, Relationships: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Home Life, Immediate Family: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Relationship with Child (List Each Separately) 1: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 2: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 3: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 4: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Extended Family, In-Laws, Relatives: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Work, Career, Employment: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Life- Balance, Degree of Busyness: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Financial Stability: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Recreation, Relaxation: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Friends, Social Life: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

of what you will commit yourself to do to accomplish this.

Fulfilment of my Purpose: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

It helps to write out SMART goals that are: S = SPECIFIC: Not vague eg: “I want to pray with my kids,” but - when will you pray with them, where, how often and for how long? What will you do or include in your prayer times with them = Specific!

M = MILESTONES: Can you break your goals down into specific steps to be

Church/Fellowship: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Laurie Thompson is a Christian-based Life Coach.

Cell: 0772 901 775 Email: lauriet22@gmail.com

Current Ministry: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

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Psalm 130:3 If you, O Lord, should mark iniquities, O Lord, who could stand?

PARENTING

Sleep Overs

By Steve and Tellmore Vickers

Sleepover parties - where your child goes to a party and sleeps there the night and is collected the following day - are becoming increasingly popular these days with children and teenagers.

Apart from sleep-overs, there are other occasions when our children sleep away from home.

allow their young girls or boys to share a room or even a bed with teenage male cousins or other male relatives.

tears from your child if you say ‘no’, but children need to know that their parents are saying ‘no’ for a reason.

Also some parents let their children sleep in houses where they don’t really know all of the people there - what their character is like.

There are also situations where a child wants to invite a friend or relative over for the weekend to play, or to spend some days at their house during the school holidays. Again, it’s wise for the parents to consider whether it’s appropriate.

How can we protect our children?

They often go to relatives for the holidays, or spend a weekend at a friend’s place.

There are family gatherings, such as weddings or funerals, where there can be a large number of people.

All of these can be risky situations for children, as far as abuse goes. Nowadays we know that the perpetrators of the sexual abuse of girls or boys are usually relatives or people close to the family, and that boys can be sexually abused as well as girls. Abusers can include uncles and grandfathers.

This abuse can happen at any time, even where the parents are at the same function.

We once came across a situation where a teenage boy was very close to sexually abusing his young female cousin at a family gathering, during the day. It’s not unusual for teenagers to be experimenting at that phase of life, so it can easily happen.

We shouldn’t be paranoid and worry too much, but we have to be realistic. We have a daughter ourselves and have always been extremely cautious about this.

And yet some parents allow their children to get into risky situations without giving it much thought.

We’ve observed many situations where there’s a family gathering and parents

If you’re not sure, the risk is not worth taking. For example at a family gathering, rather have your child share the bed with you, if you’re not convinced that they are safe. Whenever we travel somewhere as a family, we assess where our daughter should sleep, and whether she’s safer in our room.

The aforementioned sleepovers are a very contentious issue. Many parents have no problem with them, while others are strongly against. The children feel that they are missing out if they aren’t allowed to go to one, and yet there are great dangers for parents to be aware of.

We can’t tell you for sure whether sleepovers are a good thing or a bad thing, but there is always the risk of sexual abuse, even if it’s a small risk.

As parents of a girl child, we won’t let our daughter sleep somewhere where there are teenage boys. The risk of abuse is higher in such an environment. We would also make sure that we know the family who are hosting the sleepover - are they alert, will they monitor what’s happening?

We have often said ‘no’ - and sometimes said ‘yes’ - when our daughter is invited to a sleepover party, and we have hosted a couple of them at our home. There may be

Also, our children might travel for school trips, sports events, church camps and the like. In those cases we have less control, so we must pray for protection, and in all of these situations, we need to educate our children about the dangers of abuse. From a young age we should teach our children that no-one should ever touch their private parts, unless it’s Mummy or whoever else you authorise to wash the child, and that if someone else does touch them then they must say ‘no’, and tell their parents straight away without being afraid that they will get into trouble. We need to warn them that other children or adults of the same sex can also be potential abusers.

To summarise, when our children sleep away from home, be careful; as far as is possible, don’t expose them to danger.

Make sure that you know the people who will be in charge of the child and the people who will be there. Pray for protection, and very importantly, educate your children about abuse and how to deal with potential abusers.

Steve Vickers is a radio broadcaster and head of sport at Star FM Zimbabwe, Tellmore is a beauty therapist. They have been married for 21 years and have one daughter, Rufaro, aged 13.

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Isaiah 59:20 “And a Redeemer will come to Zion, to those in Jacob who turn from transgression,” declares the Lord.

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TESTIMONY

SPIRITUALGROWTH GROWTH SPIRITUAL

Stolen Innocence

by Tamilla Scott

W

hen I was younger my innocence was stolen from me.

I was sexually abused by someone I thought I could trust.

I’ve battled for many years with this. I kept it to myself and thought I could manage by myself but I found I suffered more.

I built walls so high that it was hard for anyone to get close to me. I taught myself not to trust anyone and not to rely on anyone. I told myself it was best to keep it all in, just smile, and never show the real me. In doing that, I lost who I actually was, I changed to always suit who I was with.

Then in 2013 I shared what had happened with my family who were devastated with the news.

I was in and out of counselling for two years at the Christian Counselling Centre. I was in depression for a long time, tried different anti depressants, tried different things to help me get through it, but nothing seemed to help.

This year I went back for counselling as I felt I had not yet let go, but a part of me wondered if I would ever let go.

During this counselling I had a lot of ups and downs. I was so depressed I felt I could not be around anyone else, I wanted to be alone curled up in my bed. I suffered panic attacks and I was sick all the time. I lost my faith and I felt the Lord was no longer with me.

However, one night before going to sleep, I prayed and asked the Lord where He was. I asked Him to prove to me that He was with me. I said, “Show me that You still have me in Your grip.”

I woke up feeling angry. I wanted to hurt someone and feel good about it ... so that I wasn’t the only one hurting. Through that day I started feeling a battle within myself: it felt like a battle for my soul. I felt the Lord fighting for me; I felt Him showing me that there is no-one greater than Him. After the battle I felt free, I felt everything that had been holding me back melt away. I felt I could handle any battle placed before me for I now knew my God had me in His grip. One thing I know for sure is when He stands with you no-one and nothing can be against you.

For I know the thoughts that I think toward you”, says the Lord, “Thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end...”

(Jeremiah 29:11 KJV) I always told myself the Lord had big plans for me. I now know that he does. Part of his plan is that I share my story. I’m not the first and I am not the last that this has happened to. But if I can share my story and help someone else come forward and get help through it, I am more than happy to play my part. God never allows you to be tempted more than you can handle and so long as you believe in Him, no battle you face is too big.

God is faithful; He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, He will also provide a way out so that you can endure it. 1 Corinthians 10:13b Tamilla had a passion for helping people and spreading the news of how great our God is.

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Luke 7:47 Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven—for she loved much. But he who is forgiven little, loves little.

GENDER ISSUES

Can I Really Forgive and Forget?

by Hopolang Phororo

I

am sure that many of you are familiar with the saying “to forgive and forget”. I have heard people who have been hurt or betrayed by someone they trusted say, “I can forgive but I will never forget what he/she did to me!”

Yet the Lord blots out our transgressions and does not remember our sins (Isaiah 43:25). For many years forgiving and forgetting seemed like a tall order...

How do you forgive a man who has sexually abused you as a teenager, stripping you of your virginity and dignity?

A man you trusted and whom your parents trusted? A man, who repeatedly abused you and who threatened to kill you if you told anyone? A man whose abusive acts pushed you into a life of secrecy and silence for a good part of your adolescent years? After pondering and reflecting on the saying “to forgive and forget” for several years, I made peace with the fact that forgiveness is not about forgetting.

To “forgive and forget” is to deny the reality of wrong doing. It is giving evil the power that it does not have.

I had to name the wrongdoing to let go of it, and in order to name it, I had to remember it. This was the most difficult thing to do since I had chosen, as a coping strategy, to forget the details of how it happened. Now and then, snippets of scenes had surfaced but I would not allow myself to unravel the details.

However, after nineteen years of silence, I came to the realisation that I really didn’t like what I had become: I was bitter, angry, resentful and unpleasant to be around. It was at that point that I knew I had to

forgive my perpetrator, to be set free, but I wasn’t ready to do so; I wanted to but I didn’t know how. Lewis B. Smedes in Shame and Grace says, “Forgiveness is a journey, sometimes a long one. We may need some time before we get to the station of complete healing, but the nice thing is that we are being healed en route.

When we genuinely forgive, we set a prisoner free and discover the prisoner we set free was us.” I had to set myself free but it started first with setting my perpetrator free.

I don’t know how many tears I shed during the years when I forced myself to remember that day, the words he spoke, the place where he took me, how I cringed in fear and how he repeatedly violated me.

Painful thoughts kept me awake several nights, as I asked myself where was God when all this was happening, how I viewed myself as damaged goods, how I regretted the excitement of being infatuated. It had taken me several years to admit that I had been a victim and that I had not caused the abuse by the way that I behaved and looked.

The turning point was the realisation that I was stuck and that nothing was moving.

I hated him and wished that he would suffer for the pain he caused me. I needed to genuinely forgive my perpetrator, so that he could no longer have the hold on my life. By not releasing him, he had held me hostage.

I had to repeatedly go to the Lord in prayer to ask Him to help me to forgive him.

Many times, the anger would simmer, not only directed towards him but also at God.

I would cry out to the Lord and be reminded that my anger was justified. I learned that Biblical forgiveness is an act of will, a conscious decision and not based on feelings. I like what Martin Luther King said, “Forgiveness does not mean ignoring what has been done or putting a false label on an evil act. It means rather, that the evil act no longer remains as a barrier to the relationship. Forgiveness is a catalyst creating the atmosphere necessary for a fresh start and a new beginning. It is the lifting of a burden or the cancelling of a debt.”

Forgiving my perpetrator did set me free; I was able to move on with my life and it was one of the best decisions that I made.

However, I cannot completely forget what happened because it has influenced the person that I am today. But now that I’m healed (although that’s an ongoing process) I do choose not to dwell on the events of what happened because that would be destructive - in that sense I forget.

I now want to help others, and especially encourage victims of sexual abuse and rape to break the silence. In doing this, my prayer is that they would speak about the wrong inflicted upon them; accept that it was not normal or ok. I pray they would not sweep it under the carpet in the guise of trying to move on. If they do this, they will never move on but will be imprisoned in the past and will not fulfill their destiny.

HopolanG is passionate about mentoring/coaching young women.

Her ministry is daughter of destiny..

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1 Corinthians 10:13 No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and He will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation He will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.

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MARRIAGE

Marriage as God Intended

by Kudzi Matsika “And there I saw a young warrior; he laid down his bow and arrow and stepped over the threshold of his armoury leaving his weapons of choice, his darts and barbs, at his feet. He stepped out into the open space before him, unarmed, bare, and vulnerable to all. And in the middle of that space he came to his knees, head bowed down on his chest, hands at his sides, palms open in supplication. There he wept before God and finally surrendered his heart. And in that place, she came to him, supple and bare, her manner accommodating and accepting. And the two stood together as one.”

The above may sound a bit like an Africanized version of Mills and Boon but I believe it tells all too well the reality of many marriages and of the hope and vision God has for them.

Where two are meant to come together in unison and harmony, there is often conflict and contention. Too often I have encountered couples whose marriages have become a battlefield, each party on opposing sides instead of the two standing as one to fight the enemy outside. The battle now rages within. Barbs and arrows fly from one to the other, some the arrows of selfishness, anger, neglect and control. The result? Relationship degeneration: fear, resentment, loss of communication and intimacy, infidelity and unforgiveness. Children’s lives are disrupted and their own perceptions of family and marriage distorted, well-being and security affected, despair, disillusionment. Add to this, unresolved conflicts, role confusion, conflicting needs and values, external pressures such as finances, in laws, and work and you have a fusion of issues the magnitude and volume of which would lead many of us rightly to think that it’s no surprise that marriages fail.

Is this what God intended when He made Adam and Eve and instituted marriage? Is this really what He has in store for us?

Now the Lord God said it is not good for man to be alone. I will make him a helper meet (suitable, adapted, and complementary).

Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be united with

his wife and cleave to his wife, and they shall become one flesh. And the man and his wife were both naked and were not embarrassed or ashamed in each others presence. (Genesis 2:18, 24-25 Amplified)

I believe that these scriptures speak volumes about God’s heart for our marriages. What a blessing it is when we involve God in the process of our relationships and even more so when we surrender that process over to Him completely. Is it not a joy to consider that God specifically and with great intentionality brings someone into our lives, whom He has moulded and adapted for us when we surrender that aspect of our lives to Him, and that He intends that the two should stand together as one in a space of complete openness and vulnerability to one another?

Except, wait a minute… Doesn’t being vulnerable mean I can be susceptible to hurt and pain and all those arrows that the other person may throw at me? Well, I believe the purpose of intimacy and openness in marriage is actually to provide a safe place for each of us, where we can tend to each other’s hearts, meet each other’s needs, help and encourage each other to grow and develop without the threat of harm or injury. I believe the marriage relationship, as God intended, is meant to be a SAFE PLACE: a place for us to nurture and love one another and to discover and fulfil the purpose for which God brought that union into being.

So what went wrong? How did we then wind up with marriages where fear, mistrust, anger, control and unforgiveness form the dominant operating conditions? It is most likely a combination of many things, our own lives and past relationship experiences and how family and marriage were modelled for us being the key factors perpetuating the belief that to be vulnerable to another person is unsafe and that in order to survive you must hold the balance of power in your hands. Often this results in the thinking and behaviour whereby ‘the best defence is offence’. Danny Silk in Loving Your Kids on Purpose writes that the parent-child

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Ephesians 2:8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God.

BOOK REVIEW

Prison of my Own relationship, which is based on fear, and control, paves the way for children to become adults who believe that this is how relationships should be conducted. While this may sound like stereotyping, it certainly isn’t a false representation of the dynamics that operate in many of our relationships. The belief that one party should have control and the other should have little or none is the root of many problems and abuses in relationships.

So is it possible to change any of this? Yes, but this requires us to change ourselves. To change the way we think, feel and operate within our own marriages. What should our response be when we fail each other in our marriages? What would God have us do? I believe the answer is LOVE! Marriage as God intended is safe, it is love. And so what is love?

Love is patient, love is kind, it does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud It is not rude, it is not self seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrong. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects always trusts, always hopes, (it) always perserveres. Love never fails (1 Corinthians 13: 4-8) God is love. Whoever lives in love, lives in God and God in Him. In this way love is made complete among us... (1 John 4: 16-17) This doesn’t mean that we should be doormats nor should we take advantage of our spouses when they choose to show us love and forgiveness when we hurt or wrong them for there is no room for fear in love. But perfect love casts out all fear (1 John 4:18). We are not perfect, yet I believe that with God in us, and by surrendering all aspects of our marriages to Him, being willing to change the way we do and see things, many a negative marital environment can be overcome and become a testimony to bring God glory.

Kudzi is a counsellor at The Christian Counselling Centre.

Prison of My Own is a true life story which begins with Diana receiving repeated phone calls from a stranger.

The female caller mocked and ridiculed her, eventually disclosing the most painful news a wife could hear, Diane’s husband, John, was having an affair with the nineteen-year-old caller. Diane couldn’t imagine anything worse, but that was before John killed his young mistress.

Her husband’s imprisonment for murder started her on a painful descent into the all-too-familiar realm of anger and bitterness and ultimately an emotional prison of her own. But the story doesn’t end there! This riveting story of a family torn by infidelity and murder is also a story of the triumph of God’s amazing power to restore against all odds.

A must-read for anyone who has ever needed to forgive or be forgiven. It is an incredible witness that, with God’s help, even the unforgivable can be forgiven, even though the healing and forgiving process is a difficult road to travel. Prison of My Own is Diane’s testimony of how God helped her through the turbulent process with His unfailing grace.

This is a courageously written memoir that bares a woman’s soul. By putting into words her deepest thoughts and feelings, Diane lends courage to the reader to carry on when life seems unbearable; to live, as she herself says, “a life of redemption and forgiveness.”

This is a deeply personal story which shows how we can be redeemed from the prisons of our own resentments, judgements and doubts. This book is a great inspiration for those who doubt the power of forgiveness or feel that they can never forgive. It is well written with an easy style that is difficult to put down.

Book review by Ian Wilsher

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Luke 6:27 But I say to you who hear, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you.

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PARENTING

Giving Choices Not Commands

by Laura Albertyn

Do we really need to have power struggles with our kids and if not, how do we avoid them?

“If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.” John 14:15

I’m going to share some of the things I’ve learned as a parent from my interactions with little people that will hopefully ease the pain of the power struggles experienced on a daily basis. I’ve come to realize that it’s not just children who struggle to let go of the power/control but that adults do too!

The amygdala is located in the temporal lobe of our brain. If we are threatened, it sends a signal to our brain which triggers a defensive reaction, or anger trigger, in the brain. I often think of this when my husband and I play pranks on each other. If he gets me good with a fright, I’m immediately defensive and ready for attack, as his prank triggers my amygdala.

This reaction is designed to protect us as a disconnection happens from the thing we feel threatened by. Unknowingly, as parents, we end up causing this reaction in our children. Power struggles are the child’s amygdala kicking in and their instinctive reaction is to refuse to be controlled or told what to do. Our response to them digging their heels in is often to bribe, inflict fear or intimidation in order to get the response we would like. I’m sure you can picture the situation I’ve just described with one of your children. I certainly can picture many such incidents in our home.

Sadly, our society has taught us that if we bribe, inflict pain, fear or intimidation, we can pretty much get our own way and so this is the approach we often default to in our parenting. It is very subtle, but it is more often than not our default tactic to convince our kids to comply or listen to us.

I think one of the biggest lessons I’ve had to learn as a parent over the past 9 years is the concept of, ‘I manage me and you manage you.’ We can’t force anyone to behave the way we feel they should behave, or react how they should react. We are all free people, who make good and bad choices all the time and the only person we can control or manage is ourselves.

Love is not control – it is freedom. When you take somebody’s freedom of choice away and try to rule over them, they disconnect and begin to protect themselves. Shared control is when there is an understanding that each one of us is free. The only way to be free is to have a choice.

We see this in our relationship with God – He’s given us such clear guidelines to live by in His Word, but there is the added facet of free will. He knows what He would like us to do, but He allows us the freedom to make choices - good or bad - and then face the consequences of those choices. He doesn’t dangle a carrot in front of us saying, “If you do this, this is your reward,” or threaten to beat us if we don’t make the right choice.

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Psalm 51:2-4 Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin! For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me.

Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you may be justified in your words and blameless in your judgment.

PARENTING Rather, He graciously allows us make choices and then experience the natural consequences of these choices.

Choices empower children to make decisions and when they are little, it becomes an exercise in self-control. We lose sight of that concept when parenting. We perceive obedience as the goal, but forget that our children are on a journey of learning and growing while they are entrusted into our care in homes which should be a safe place for them to mess up and learn before the consequences are big and scary as adults.

By offering choices and giving power to our kids, we begin to build responsibility in them. God empowers us beyond our wildest imagination and in the same way, we need to empower our children so that they know what to do when freedom is offered to them as teenagers and adults. We need to equip them to make good choices after thinking through the consequences.

In the last article I wrote, I spoke about keeping a constant heart connection with your kids. Learning to share the control with children is something that will aid in keeping that connection strong, and the power struggle is avoided.

My suggestion is to introduce enforceable statements and lots of meaningless choices.

For example, how many of you find it hard to get your kids out the house in the morning? There is a recognizable pattern of constant nagging from you for them to get dressed, put their shoes on, brush their teeth, have they packed their bag, where is their hat?

Set an enforceable limit – we are leaving at 6.45am. When that time comes – whether they have finished breakfast or not, they need to leave the house with you. They made a choice and so they must face the consequence of that choice, which may be to finish eating or get dressed on the way to school.

Another enforceable statement – I only give treats to kids who brush their teeth.

(This is different to bribery as the treat is not given straight after brushing their teeth.) Another example of an enforceable consequence is that towels need to be hung up after swimming or they will not be allowed to swim.

Now onto choices. Always make sure that you offer choices where you are happy with either outcome – do you want the red or green mug, do you want to brush your teeth before going to the toilet or after, do you want to take a shower or a bath, do you want to wear this outfit or that outfit, do you want to sit on this chair or that chair for dinner, do you want 1 more minute to play or come to dinner now, do you want me to chase you to bed or tickle you to bed, do you want to fill the blue bucket with your toys or the yellow bucket, do you want juice or water and so on.

Choices should be given with only two options. You may ask what you should do if they choose a third option. This is where you have to kick into strong parent mode, stay calm and repeat the two available choices. If they still don’t choose, you should then

choose for them and follow through with that even if they kick and scream about your choice. You have to stay totally calm and cool through this process. They will soon realize that there is no third option and so learn to choose from what is offered to them.

The use of choices is one of my favourite ways to avoid conflict.

For example, a toddler who hates putting their shoes on can be presented with the option of which foot to put the shoe on first.

Can you see – the control is given to him to choose, but he’s still putting his shoes on and if he doesn’t choose, then mum chooses for him. He’s learning to make choices and see that there are consequences to those choices.

Choices empower and give freedom within safe parameters. The more choices we give our children the more freedom they feel and this will prove a valuable ‘weapon’ when we have something absolute to insist on with our children. When loads of insignificant choices have been banked throughout the day, the parent can then point out that they have been given many choices, but this time there isn’t a choice. There has to be an appropriate consequence if they do not obey, but more than likely there will be very little resistance after a day of being able to choose. In my experience, the more choices you bank, the less resistance you will face. I promise it really does work like this.

All these choices give the child a sense that: • they are powerful, • they have choices to make, • they are responsible for their choices from an early age, • they have shared control, you control you and I control me.

The simple easy choices set them up for their teenage years where they will have to make bigger choices. Often parenting stems from a place of fear that the child might be rebellious and willfully do things with no regard for what their parents think. This attitude can be prevented by allowing them to make loads of choices from a young age and so develop the ability to think for themselves.

As we learn how to protect the connection, knowing that our kids will make mistakes, but not allowing that to affect the way we love and treat them whilst still letting the logical consequences play out – we will see them grow in their ability to think for themselves.

When we choose to keep connection with them a priority and place a high value on it during their childhood, whilst refusing to let their amygdala to be triggered, we will avoid a disconnect. May we graciously partner with the Holy Spirit as we lead and guide our children!

Further teaching on this style of parenting can come from, Loving Our Kids on Purpose by Danny Silk, and Love and Logic Institute, Inc. Laura is married to Mark, mum to four wonderful kids and co-founder of Makomborero Zimbabwe.

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Isaiah 44:22-23 I have blotted out your transgressions like a cloud and your sins like mist; return to Me, for I have redeemed you. Sing, O heavens, for the Lord has done it; shout, O depths of the earth; break forth into singing, O mountains, O forest, and every tree in it! For the Lord has redeemed Jacob, and will be glorified in Israel.

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FAMILY

Sunday School

By Sarah Cross

Part 1

‘Train a child up in the way he should go (ways of the Lord), and when he is old he will not depart from it.’ Proverbs 22:6 Hopefully, we all long for our children to grow up to know and serve the Lord. Part of this journey includes our decision to take our children along to church with us and probably into a Sunday School.

I am always amazed at how many adults do not attend church, but still think it important to send their child; happily dropping them at our Sunday School each week, and then heading off to the shops or elsewhere, not wishing to participate in church themselves. This must indicate that deep down inside each one of us is a longing to know God. As Ecclesiastes 3:11 says, ‘Eternity is written in the hearts of man.’

Surveys done throughout the world show that over 80% of commitments to Christ are made between the ages of 4 – 14. Research further shows that people who commit to Christ early, stay committed.

It is in these early years that people develop their frame of reference for the rest of their lives. Therefore, a question I hope

parents would ask is, ‘How do I know that I am doing the best for my child to ensure that they will learn God’s Word and live by it?’

From this simple question then stems the many discussions and opinions about what is the best for children. Is it better if the church has a large youth department and lots of good equipment? Is it best to have a separate meeting for children or should they stay a part of the adult service for worship? Should they learn together with everyone at all ages? At what age should children learn to sit through a sermon? At what age should they start in Sunday School?

All these and many more questions are asked by parents and it is good to wrestle with these questions. Personally, I have been involved in most of the mixes that one would encounter in church - Sunday Schools of mixed ages, Sunday Schools of small individual grade classes, churches with a focus on a completely separate children’s church service (where the full 1½ hours is only with children), as well as a mixed service where children worship as a

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Psalm 32:5 I acknowledged my sin to you, and I did not cover my iniquity; I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,” and you forgave the iniquity of my sin.

FAMILY family and then during the sermon go out to different classes, and even a church service with no children’s options.

I have also been in a discussion as to whether children’s teaching should be called Sunday School as that has strong connotations of formal school, with concerns that a child who struggles at school will then be prejudiced there too. Should it be called Children’s Church? So many struggles and questions! We will tackle these practical questions in part 2 of this series, but for now, let us rather focus on ensuring that our base is secure for understanding the importance of teaching our children God’s Word.

According to a National Children’s Bureau report done in the UK, children complete 90% of their mental and emotional development by the age of 5. This begs to ask the question, ‘Would this also mean the base of their spiritual development?’

The foundation years are vital for building upon later, so we need to ensure that we help lay secure foundations for our children when they are young.

There are only 52 Sundays in a year. Most Sunday Schools only run for about 45 minutes per week and do not teach every Sunday of the year, therefore the maximum teaching time of God’s Word to our children would be 39 hrs per year or 0.1% of their annual lifespan! Consequently, if our children are to embrace God’s Word and His call on their lives, we need to be teaching them God’s Word daily through everyday life lessons. As parents, Deuteronomy 6 highlights for us how intentional God wants us to be in teaching our children about His ways and what He has done, highlighting that we do it every day and in any way we can.

Sundays then become the corporate worship celebration.

For me, one of the saddest verses in the Bible is Judges 2:7–11.

Earlier in Judges we read how Moses died and handed on leadership to Joshua who later dies, verses 10-11 then describes what followed his death, A generation grew up that did not know God or His ways…and they did evil in His eyes.

Although many victories had been won, Joshua and his generation had failed to pass on the teachings of what God had done for them to the next generation. We have a responsibility to hand the baton on from one generation to another, telling of all that God has done for us. King Solomon addressed his words of wisdom to his son and children, because he recognized that it was important for them to learn those truths while they were still young.

So before we look for a good Sunday School and entrust our children to be taught God’s Word there, let us teach our own children God’s Word today and every day. Then on Sundays, let’s find a church with Godly builders teaching His Word for, unless the Lord builds the house, the labourers labour in vain.

Remember that when God builds, He chooses to use people as His labourers and equips them with His Holy Spirit to teach, to instruct regarding His Word, and seek fruit that will last.

A man came upon 3 men at work, ‘What are you doing?” he asked them. ‘I’m carving these stones into different sizes,’ said the first.

‘I’m earning a hundred dollars a day,’ said the second.

‘I’m helping to build a great cathedral,’ said the third.

Only the third mason had caught the vision of the great work in which he was engaged.

Printworks

Raising our children to know God and to love and obey His Word is indeed a great work!

Sarah is married to Pastor Gary Cross of Northside Community Church and together are raising four daughters who love the Lord.

Sarah was part of a team that edited and wrote 36 SALT books, a Sunday School SU resource material.

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Psalm 103:10 He does not deal with us according to our sins, nor repay us according to our iniquities.

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CENTRE NEWS

The Centre News The Counselling Centre opened its doors to the public in August 1996. In the 20 years since then, we have seen the goodness of God in numerous ways. On the 21st October 2016, we had a dinner with 120 guests to celebrate all that He has done. We heard testimony of God’s healing and equipping in generations of counsellors. Brenda one of our original counsellors, who was restored and changed, mainly through the Journey to Wholeness Course, counselled Linda who came in suffering from severe depression. Linda recovered and then trained as a counsellor. She counselled Colwyn, who also was helped and then trained as a counsellor. She counselled Jean who again told us how the counselling is helping her overcome her depression. Isn’t God good!

Nozi, one of our counsellors wrote an inspiring song giving God praise for His wonderful works, which she and Kudzi sang with the Counsellors joining in with the chorus.

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Acts 22:16 And now why do you wait? Rise and be baptized and wash away your sins, calling on His name.

CENTRE NEWS

Ladies’ Breakfast

Salome Dunsham was the guest speaker at our Ladies’ Breakfast. She told the encouraging story of how God has been her helper after her husband, unexpectedly died of a heart attack. At first devastated and confused and grief stricken and wondering how she was going to look after her children, she told how God opened up doors for her to ‘use what she has’ to provide for herself and her children. Nothing is impossible for Him! Salome now does outside catering, provides meals for institutions and individuals, including catering for private functions, specialising in Indian dishes like roti, chicken curry, beef curry, veg curry and bunny chow. She’ll come and cook for your dinner party in your home! She also teaches how to prepare genuine ‘Durban Curries.’

You can contact Salome on 0772 717 374

Marriage Counselling Workshop The greatest number of requests for counselling that we receive is usually for marriage issues. We continually provide ongoing training for our counsellors and our Marriage Counselling Workshop was designed to help our counsellors refresh and improve so as to maintain a high standard. This time however, we opened the workshop to outsiders. The aim was to help equip pastors/ministers and church workers and counsellors to deal with this vital area in their churches.

Training Centre

Praise God - the first phase of our building is nearing completion. The Training Centre hall will give an excellent facility in which to hold our training courses and seminars. We hope also to hire out the facility to help finance the work of the Centre.

We still have phase two and three to go.

Phase two consists of the toilets, a boardroom and offices to go alongside the Training Centre and phase three comprises extra counselling rooms, a counsellors’ common room and a Resource Centre (book and DVD library, bookshop)

Movie Night The guest of honour was Tapiwa Chibota. To see what he had to say read his interview on page 36.

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Isaiah 1:18 Come now, let us reason together, says the Lord: though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool.

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SPORTS Oscar: Taps, please tell us about yourself.

Tapiwa:

I grew up and went to school in the high density suburb of Rimuka in Kadoma. After school, I went to the Harare Institute of Technology, studying motor mechanics.

I worked as a motor mechanic, for a while, later on decided to take part in body-building competitions, where I got to represent Zimbabwe in other countries.

Oscar: What titles have you won?

Tapiwa:

I recently competed in the Mr. Zimbabwe Classics light-heavy-weight division where I came first. I was meant to be defending my title of Overall Mr. Zimbabwe Classic but due to injury I wasn’t able to do that. Last year I competed in Italy for the Mr. Universe title and I was placed fifth. I’ve also competed in regional competitions. In Pretoria I came first in the light-heavy-weight division. In 2014 I was accredited to represent Africa in Mr. Universe in Korea, but unfortunately didn’t get the clearances I needed in time.

In 2011 I competed in and won a light-weight competition in Mr. Pro-fit Zimbabwe. It wasn’t easy for me but I persevered.

Oscar: Physically sitting next to you I feel quite safe,

however, we should feel that way permanently, for God is far greater than both of us, and there is nothing to fear! Does that help you in your profession?

Tapiwa: :In everything I do, I put God first. That is my

Champion Chibota builds Body and Soul interview with Tapiwa Chibota by oscar johnson

inspiration when I feel I have no strength. I get on my knees and reflect on scripture. This helps face the struggles I’ve had since I decided to take up body-building as a full-time career.

Oscar: What are the challenges and temptations in your sporting world and how do you deal with them?

Tapiwa: It’s mostly people’s perceptions that I have to

deal with. They think that body builders are rough and out to cause trouble. Because of my devotion to Jesus Christ I decided to work in a few ministries in Kadoma with young people and I am a youth leader. We do a lot of community work and because of that the perception has begun to change and people respect me. They don’t expect community service from a body builder, expecting him to go to bars and other unsuitable places. Because of my faith I have turned away from those things and people see me as a role model.

Oscar: Have there been lessons from your sport that have helped you grow as a Christian?

Tapiwa:

Yes, I have learnt that body-building is a sport that needs discipline - it takes a lot of time and dedication to keep going with the sport. It keeps me out of trouble, because there is a lot of time spent in the gym following training programs and routines. Every time I hit the gym I suffer a lot of pain as I train. The diet I have to endure is hard - it is relentless from Monday to Saturday. I endure it because when I started my body-building career, I decided I wanted to be the best in Zimbabwe, which means following the program, no shortcuts. I find it hard when I am eating with family and have to have a different meal from them. It is tempting to cheat. Health food is not always the tastiest!

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Matthew 18:21-22 Then Peter came up and said to him, “Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?”

Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you seven times, but seventy times seven.

SPORTS Oscar: The Church vision in the New Testament is a colony of heaven in a hostile world. Dwight L. Moody once said, “Out of 100 men, one will read the Bible and 99 will read the Christian”.

How do you serve the Lord in your sport?

Tapiwa:

In 2010 I went to South Africa and took up a job as a motor mechanic specialising in heavy vehicle transport.

Relieving drivers and going to breakdowns sometimes meant I was up all night. In 2011 I decided that there was too much pressure. I needed to go home and start something new. When I came back I pursued body-building, but my health started deteriorating rapidly. People started asking me what was wrong but I was in denial at first. The chairman of the gym where I trained was a Dr. Nhinga for whom I had a lot of respect. He is also an elder at Kadoma Baptist church. He noticed and suggested I come to his surgery for tests. I was reluctant, but he persisted, telling me he wouldn’t charge me for his services. I eventually went.

When we perform in a body building competition, each person does a solo performance with their own music. I changed the type of music I use on stage to gospel music. Everyone is always surprised – how do I link body-building and gospel music? When I perform, the whole crowd applauds and sometimes I get a standing ovation. This gives me strength and the songs that I use minister and touch the hearts of the people that are listening. I know where my victory comes from.

Oscar: Most of us think one lifts a weight and flex’s a

muscle. I believe there is a huge psychological side behind body building & competing?

Tapiwa:

Yes there is. When I wake up for my training sessions, I say a prayer that gives me strength and hope. Even when I am on stage I reflect on scriptures. In South Africa it’s a whole different ball game to Zimbabwe. Body builders there are huge and in good shape, but when I face them I think of the scripture which says “I can do all things through him that gives me strength.” Through thinking of scripture I conquer a lot of Giants, surprising many people. It’s all because of Jesus Christ. I might think that I am talented; I might think that I am the best, but if you look at the gym that I come from, it doesn’t have the equipment. Despite this, I manage to compete in national and international competitions.

The results showed I had TB. I was in shock. Was this real? I questioned it. I had been living healthily. I don’t drink, I don’t smoke, I’m not a womaniser. How could this have happened? It was a long counselling session but I couldn’t hear what the doctor was saying. I was so upset; I just went home, without getting the medication. The doctor followed me up and assured me that if I went on the treatment I would be well again.

He told me that TB is spread in different ways and that I could have been in contact with someone who had it while living with I have decided that for the rest of my life I have to be an ambassador for Christ. People are surprised that I come from them. After a lot of counselling, I finally came to acceptance and decided to go on the treatment. When I saw the medication, Kadoma, an obscure town. They ask me my secret and I say, I realised that it was familiar, I had seen some of the drivers that “Jesus Christ. That is who gives me the victory. And that is who has made me who I am.”

I had been accompanying to breakdowns taking it. This gave me more confidence in the treatment.

Oscar: Finally Taps, can you leave us and the youngsters especially with a message of hope and encouragement, and After completing the course of treatment the doctor approved how you relate this to your goal? me going back to gym. In three weeks there was going to be the Mr. Pro-fit Zimbabwe and I decided to enter. In the first Tapiwa: Whatever you are doing, as long as it’s in line week of training, my friends at the gym didn’t want to be near with the principles of God, everything you want to do you can me. They had ruled me out and didn’t think that I would bounce back, that it was the end for me. After the second week the guys achieve, whether it’s academic, sports like me, work or anything. were surprised. My body was transforming. After the third week, So long as you are doing things in line with the word of God, His will and the kingdom of God, everything will flow. You can I was ready. I’d only been training for three weeks but everyone be whatever you what to be. else had been training for the whole year! I came first in the light-weight division. It was incredible. I decided to accept the Lord Jesus Christ as my saviour and I was baptised that same year.

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Zechariah 7:9 Thus says the Lord of Hosts, “Render true judgments, show kindness and mercy to one another.”

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SPORTS

FOR GLORY

By Simba Pfupagena

Christianity has always drawn parallels from a myriad of seemingly unrelated life experiences. Fishing, farming and even wedding feasts, have all been used to help clarify certain aspects of our Christian walk. Even athletics, yes athletics, has been used for this endeavour. This I know, because the Bible, in 1 Corinthians 9 v 25-27, tells me so. Every athlete exercises self-control in all things.

They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable.

So I do not run aimlessly, I do not box as one beating the air. But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified.

The Olympic Games came and went.

They had a fair number of us spellbound for the greater part of a month and as usual, the men’s 100m final, arguably the showpiece event, commandeered our attention for a shade under 10 seconds! As those who had outdone their peers, in executing the Olympic motto by going faster, higher, stronger, were being celebrated and decorated on podiums I am sure I was not alone in imagining myself as the star athlete who had won gold.

Without much effort, unless screaming and jumping from my sofa counts, I had elevated myself onto any podium my imagination chose, setting a world record on every occasion.

Unfortunately, for this great nation of Zimbabwe, none of my efforts added to our real medal count. If only it were that easy.

The reality is that for each medal ceremony we witnessed, we were given a mere glimpse, the culmination of an entire journey.

A journey which for some athletes took at least four years! Upon further reflection I realised that, as with most things in life, one cannot just imagine their way to victory or glory.

Our Christian walk is no different, and using the analogy set out in 1 Corinthians 9v25-27, the reasons will hopefully become clearer for you, as they have for me.

Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. Indeed most athletes will readily testify that they did not get themselves into winning positions by just allowing themselves to do whatever they wanted, whenever they felt like it. Self-control is exercised in ALL things. The same code applies as a Christian because according to 1 Corinthians 10v23, “Everything is permissible, BUT not everything is helpful”. But whilst some athletes may be controlling themselves in their own strength, Christians have the benefit of having self-control emanating as a fruit of the Spirit. As that self-control is applied consistently in ALL things, it helps Christians invariably maintain a winning disposition in all things.

They do it to receive a perishable wreath.A gold medal is not to be sniffed at. Once one has it, they go on to be identified, in all relevant circles, by that status. You don’t just blurt out their name,

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Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

SPORTS as you used to. It now needs to be prefixed by that achievement.

So in my imaginings, I was “Olympic Gold Medallist Simbaneuta Pfupajena!” and even “Olympic Gold Medallist Daddy” to our daughter. Hold the applause please. It was so easy to imagine myself as such because we all want to be associated with Glory.

However, whilst medalling in the Olympics is a big deal, it hardly, by itself, has any eternal significance.

There is though a glory that does, and as Christians pursue GOD’s GLORY, it comes with the assurance that it will count for eternity.

If all we strive for and achieve is for His Glory, then even standing on an Olympic podium, after receiving a medal from your Head of State or sporting hero, will be surpassed. I am convinced of this, because surely nothing can compare to that moment when God says to us “Well done, good and faithful servant”. That goodness and faithfulness must come from a series of consistent Godpleasing achievements to be attained in the Race HE has marked out for us.

So I do not run aimlessly, I do not box as one beating the air.

There are strict guidelines to be followed by every athlete who competes. The mere expending of effort is not what wins them the race. All the training to hone a technique coupled with executing a race strategy is what is required to win. They run their race, as should every Christian. God has marked out a race for us to run and it is far from being aimless. Nor is our battle a mere beating of the air. When we box under His instructions, we land our punches and He helps us to bob and weave our way out of the reach of our enemies’ blows.

But I discipline my body and keep it under control. Athletes do this by maintaining strict training, eating, and resting plans. What

they put in has a significant bearing on what they achieve. The repeated routines are what develop the required discipline. Just as they cannot afford to leave it all to chance, neither can we.

The cameras are always ready to zoom in on the victory parades but not much attention is paid to the real efforts that are made in the solitude of training sessions. Similarly our quiet times and seemingly secret, in the background, prayer times are what Christians put in to maintain our discipline and keep our lives under control.

Lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified Oh what a tragedy it is for any athlete to be disqualified. All the hard work can be undone by a mere technicality, a false start, straying from your lane or having an illegal substance in your body. It serves as a chilling reminder to all Christians that there are consequences to not playing by the rules. Yet it is also really encouraging to know that our efforts are NOT in isolation. We have the ever present help of Jesus Christ to guide us. As we abide in Him, through executing the disciplines similar an athlete’s, He faithfully abides in us and by His grace we are freed from the consequences of being disqualified from a relationship with Him. It is by that same grace that our “performances are enhanced” (legally of course) and it should therefore be less daunting to run to Him Faster, exalt Him Higher and have our faith in Him made Stronger.

For HIS Glory!

Simba is an avid sports pundit, happily married to Barbara and blessed to be Atipa-Joy’s dad.

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• CHRISTIAN COUNSELLING CENTRE THE CENTRETHE• CENTRE CHRISTIAN COUNSELLING CENTRE Matthew 18:33-35 And should not you have had mercy on your fellow servant, as I had mercy on you?’ And in anger his master delivered him to the jailers, until he should pay all his debt.

So also my heavenly Father will do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother from your heart.

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BUSINESS

Partner, Pastor & Parent Interview with Tapiwa Chizana

by Kumbirai Nhongo from Kingdom Business

Kumbirai: Hi Tapiwa thanks for joining us. Can you give us a brief summary of who you are.

TAPIWA: I’m married to Flora and we have three kids who are eight, five and three years old. I live in Bulawayo. I’m a partner at Deloittes. I’m involved in Business Rescue as well as auditing.

I am responsible for the Bulawayo office of Deloitte and within the region, that is Zimbabwe, Zambia and Malawi, I am responsible for risk and reputation.

Kumbirai: What did it take to get to where you are?

TAPIWA: I think lots of hard work and the grace of God. There was definitely a season in our nation where it paid to show commitment, to stick it out and I believe God was with me to do so. That enabled me to be in key positions even at a relatively young age, to be able to serve God in the marketplace.

Kumbirai: You mentioned the grace of God as a key part of your success. At what point did you decide to become a child of God? TAPIWA: I gave my life to the Lord when I was about 15. I used to attend Scripture Union once in a while. I grew up in a Christian family but I don’t think I’d made the decision for myself.

I remember saying to myself, “The next time there is an altar call, I will respond,” and I did. And my life was transformed from that day onwards

Kumbirai: Tell us some of the changes that you went through.

TAPIWA: I had been quite fearful and I had no purpose, so when I made a commitment to Christ I felt I had a new perspective on

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Isaiah 55:7 Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the Lord, that he may have compassion on him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.

BUSINESS life. It gave me purpose and joy and hope. That encounter with a loving Father grounded me.

Kumbirai: Being a chartered accountant, you get to deal with many different businesses at one time. Tell us some of your best experiences on the job.

TAPIWA: My best experience is probably with one of my business rescue assignments. I’m a judicial manager for a company in Bulawayo. About two and half years ago, I’d been called in to liquidate the company.

However, the company has now begun to grow and turn over some money, making about 250 thousand dollars a month, which in our economy is unheard of. It is now alive. So it was a privilege to help them.

Kumbirai: As an accounting firm you must get to see our economy from a bird’s eye view. What principles do you see for success?

TAPIWA: It’s those businesses that have decided to go for it and take the risk and not just wait and see what happens. They have been successful. It doesn’t mean going in blind and ignoring the pitfalls. There is definitely a resilience and faith that I’ve seen in some business men and women and believe that God has blessed them. In Genesis 26, it talks about Isaac who sowed in the land of famine and he reaped a hundredfold.

Kumbirai: How has faith helped you in your business?

TAPIWA: To a great extent. I think it’s also the grace of God. I believe in some circumstances God gives me a gift of faith, trusting that God will make a way. From a Biblical perspective, we read stories like that of Joseph, who after he had interpreted Pharaoh’s dream was transformed overnight from pauper to prince, prisoner to prince, in a heartbeat. So we begin to understand the nature of God, that He is able to do more than we can ask or imagine and to dare to believe that He can perform miracles even in this environment. It is the undergirding of God’s Word that helps faith rise up. And God in His grace honours small steps of obedience.

Kumbirai; Where do you see yourself going forward?

TAPIWA: In my role of being responsible for the Bulawayo office, I hope to play my part in resuscitating businesses and helping to inspire and encourage business people to be all that God has created them to be.

Kumbirai: Any ideas to help industrialise Bulawayo?

TAPIWA: Well with Deloittes, we have been advising the National Railways which is key to industrialisation because lots of businesses feed off it. And so once it’s up and running it will make a huge impact on the city.

Bulawayo is uniquely positioned in arts and culture, so we are having conversations with people and talking about what are we good at as a city and how can we harness that as an income. The region has always had cattle as an industry, so we are trying to focus on our strengths as business people. In my experience, if you focus on building your strengths you can actually get further. Weaknesses may not be noticeable if you are outstanding with your strengths.

Kumbirai: In what capacity are you serving at church?

TAPIWA: I’m the pastor of Hope City Church in Bulawayo and my wife really supports me, she’s brilliant. We have a great team. Because I am not full time in the church, we have lots of volunteers who help out in serving within the church. We are also a part of Disciple Nations which is our apostolic family of churches and we get a lot of support from them.

Kumbirai: What made you decide to become a pastor?

TAPIWA: It was a journey, but definitely my latter years at Scripture Union in high school made an impact on me. We would preach as students and we left school believing that “all things are possible” and that view helped to carry me through. There is stigma associated with becoming a pastor, so growing up I had to break through some of those things that would cause me to be fearful but as time progressed I became more certain of God’s call on my life.

Kumbirai: How important is family for you?

TAPIWA: It is massively important. One of my favourite quotes is from Mother Theresa, she said, “If you want to change the world, go home and love your family.” That resonates so much with me, the integrity of everything I’m doing, hinges on how well I’m doing with the family. If I’m being a good husband and father, it overflows into every area of life. I’m not perfect, and my wife I’m sure will tell you that but at a heart level, I definitely try and keep that a priority, which is not easy with everything I’m involved in.

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Matthew 5:7-9 Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God. 41

PROJECTS

HUBS HONESTY

UNITY

BROTHERLY LOVE

SINCERE SERVANTHOOD

By Andries Kloppers

I

t was in August 2009, sitting having coffee with Dave and Chrissie Edden on the veranda of Celebration Coffee Shop that the innovation of an interdenominational men’s breakfast was birthed. The intention was to complement churches by providing a platform for men to meet and be ministered to at a neutral venue.

The monthly, Christian based, non-denominational gathering was intended for the networking of all men, regardless of whether they attended a Church or not. There was concern that some Churches could view such gatherings as competition for their flock, but it was adamantly agreed that our focus would be ‘to complement NOT to compete.’

The inaugural breakfast attended by 26 men was held in September 2009 at the home of Keith Hepworth, the guest speaker for the day being Claude Ansley. Claude spoke strongly about the prudence of avoiding the wrath of churches and pastors when starting new ministries.

However, the vision was in place and we believed that such a meeting was a vital and necessary ministry in Harare and there was no turning back.

A cross section of leaders was considered and it was a delight to include John Pybus (a deacon at Bible Baptist), Basil Rowlands (an elder at Cornerstone) to the leadership team. Dave Lewis more recently accepted an invitation to join us in the team. A delight to

have four men of such varying strengths and attributes, yet so united and determined. We still consider Dave Edden as our overseer in his individual capacity.

A suitable name was the next decision. We decided on HUBS and the relevance was twofold: Firstly: H - Honesty/Humility, U - Unity, B - Brotherly Love, S - Sincere Servanthood. We need to strive to encourage the men to pursue these strengths.

Secondly: As the hub of a wheel is the weight bearer and centre of everything around it, so it should be with the men at HUBS. We need to be the weight bearer (take responsibility) in our homes and provide lubrication when it is needed so that everything moves freely and efficiently. For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, His body. (Ephesians 5:23) Home is the place that surrounds us as men, it is a place over which we have influence.

Meetings are held on the first Saturday of every month at a venue in Newlands which can comfortably accommodate 120 men in attendance. Of significance is that we often have men from more than ten different Churches at the same meeting - evidence of the unity that we are seeking. Our googlegroup data base provides updates and information on a regular basis and is well used by attendees all over, not just Zimbabwe. We have more than 300 men who receive regular communications from HUBS via e-mail.

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Luke 17:3-4 Pay attention to yourselves! If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him, and if he sins against you seven times in the day, and turns to you seven times, saying, ‘I repent,’ you must forgive him.”

PROJECTS A very important aspect of the ministry is to invite speakers, who inspire, convict and encourage the men. It is fair to say that we cannot recollect when this did not happen. Often the powerful testimonies offered by the men pave the way for the speaker. We have been blessed by many notable speakers such as Dr. Shingi Munyeza, Tom Deuschelle, Langton Gatsi, Denny Taylor, Darren Pickard, Mark Phillips, Dave Edden, Dr. Auchterlonie, The Blue Bulls rugby players, Piet van Vuuren, Phillip Ligthart, Dan Izzett, Munatsi Sande, Henning Jordaan, Basil Palmer, Dr. Matthew Wazara, Ken Clark and many more.

The atmosphere at the meetings is casual and yet serious. The men mingle while enjoying a well-presented bacon and egg roll, prepared by our committed chef Peter Robinson. After devouring breakfast and settling in the open air auditorium (three sports field grandstands and a bunch of garden chairs) the official proceedings commence, controlled by the MC of the day. The housekeeping is followed by a few choruses led by our choirmaster Pete with some amazing testimonies before the guest speaker is introduced. Visiting speakers have commented on the comfortable mix and fellowship of worshippers that there is from different churches.

We pride ourselves in being a place where one can invite and bring friends and acquaintances to be in the company of a harmonious group of Christian men. A place where one can share burdens with others who may have conquered similar issues. A

place where opportunities are made available to be saved and be blessed. Our men are frequently invited to speak at other men’s breakfast meetings, Salvation Army, BS Leon and Prince Edward School to name a few regulars. We have an active mobile prayer team and we try to visit the less fortunate. However, we are very mindful of our place and make it our priority not to be involved, unless invited, in other churches’ functions. Lately, we have been invited to attend and participate at some other Churches’ men’s breakfasts, which we consider an honour.

We know that it is vital to have and to pursue a vision, for without it people perish. It is clear that men in unity can achieve and change anything.

However, we remain determined to seek His face and operate in prayer and humility. In growing the body, we will continue to impart our strengths and are quick to learn from others on how to strengthen our weaknesses. Our vision is twofold, initially to empower as many Christian men in Zimbabwe to become victorious Christians, fulfilling their personal visions and secondly, to complement every Church that is represented at our meetings.

To God be all the glory!

Andries is a retired farmer and executive director. He’s been happily married 48 years and has 2 children and 5 grandchildren.

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Ecclesiastes 7:20 Surely there is not a righteous man on earth who does good and never sins.

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SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY

Bringing People Together for a Cleaner and Greener Zimbabwe Our Waste - Our City Our Nation - Our Lives

As a Nation we have adopted a culture of littering, illegal dumping and burning and are destroying our environment. “WHAT CAN WE DO” We believe the environment is everyone’s responsibility and that TOGETHER every household, business, church, school, organisation, municipal and government department can make a difference and play a part in the solution.

Miracle Missions, Clean & Green Zimbabwe, as members of Clean Up the World and in

Partnership with the City of Harare, Environment Management Agency and the Ministry of Environment, Water and Climate have helped drive an Anti-Littering Illegal Dumping Campaign in Harare and across the Nation for the past six years. A programme of Monthly Network meetings was set up bringing together all stakeholders to share, inspire, empower and create solutions. Community clean ups are organised bringing volunteers together, committees set up for the sustainable solution to maintain clean shopping centres and public areas, clearing of drainage in preparation of rains, adoption of city land and parks, dangers of burning leaves and waste, recycling awareness and programs in schools, businesses, cluster homes and churches, placed over 500 business sponsored dustbins, inspired an environmental Pomona Art Wall and artist painted dustbins, recycling with +18 Orphan teens at motor shows, sporting events and city fairs.

Encouraging separation of waste at source and either organising weekly collection

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Ephesians 4:32 Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.

SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY

of recyclables or drop of at the various recycling stations in and around the city. Plastic & Paper are being recycled by companies in Zimbabwe and glass, plastic, cans and paper are being sent to SA for recycling.

This year our city council has a new by law: (Landowners are empowered to maintain the frontage of their properties by Harare (Road Verges) By law.

2016) – This will encourage everyone to maintain a clean environment where they live and work. Council are appealing to everyone to clear their drains ready for the rains. The City Council has an awareness programme into schools called “Catch them Young” and work with large groups of litter monitors in high density suburbs. City council are installing new sponsored dustbins in Harare.

The Environmental Management Agency are putting together a draft for electronic waste regulations and we have our first e-Waste recycling business. They are installing sponsored recycling cages in and around the country. Businesses are sponsoring “recycling stations” within our high density suburbs working with litter monitors Let’s all continue to say NO to littering, illegal dumping and burning. Let’s all manage our own waste. Let’s volunteer in clean up’s in our community, Let’s Reduce, Reuse and Recycle to preserve our environment for future generations.

Let’s all work together to create a cleaner, greener and healthier Zimbabwe.

By Sharon Hook – Miracle Missions Clean & Green Zimbabwe – Communities Making a Difference – Mobile 263 772 240 442 or hooknook@yoafrica..com

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1 John 2:1 My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.

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SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY

Disability Awareness

By Sihle Nyashanu

As I reflect on my journey as a mom of two boys affected with autism, I will be the first to admit that the journey hasn’t been easy.

However, it has been somehow manageable through the people that God has placed in my life. These people range from family members (immediate and extended), friends, colleagues, church family and professionals, whose help I have sought in order to equip myself. Also, I have met different people who have helped as they became aware of issues to do with disabilities. I treasure the influence and contribution each and every one of them has had on my life. This has impacted the way I carry myself as I support and am there for my two boys, as well as when I reach out to other parents, who like me, have to raise a child affected with a disability.

What most people may fail to acknowledge or understand, is the importance of some form of support for those families affected by disability. It is my prayer and hope that through reading this article, eyes will be opened to some things that

we as a society take for granted and that we will take time to think about the effect that our words and actions have on families affected with disability. Please note that I am not only referring to the individual affected but the whole family.

This is because the presence of a child with a disability in a given family affects the functionality of the whole family unit.

All of us know of or have come into contact with an affected family. Below are some of the challenges that the families face: Discrimination and stigmatisation - treating someone differently because he/ she is affected by a disability.

Parental capabilities being judged - especially in instances where maybe the behaviours of the affected child are misunderstood or deemed inappropriate and the child is regarded as spoilt.

Difficulties in school placement (especially those who are severely affected) - due to the small numbers required in special

needs classes, schools are not able to accept all applicants. For those considering private schools, the costs are very high due to the amount of assistance needed to help the child.

Financial constraints - as they have constant pressing issues needing medical attention (therapies and medication) due to the disability, in some instances nurse aids are required, maids who are paid more than the normal rates given the amount of work they will put in depending on the severity of the condition, etc.

Divorce - in some instances, one parent fails to accept that they have been blessed with a child who comes with complications and the result is he/she opts out, leaving the other parent with the sole responsibility of taking care of that child.

Limited socialisation - depending on the severity and nature of the disability, it becomes very difficult for the affected parent/caregiver to go out, take part in functions or have fun as he/she pleases,

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Romans 8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.

SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY thereby reducing the number of friends he/she has. Only those friends who are patient and understanding will stick around .

Levels of faith of the parent (s) being judged - this comes from some people believing that disability is a curse therefore the parent needs to have enough faith for the disability to be removed.

In light of these challenges highlighted above, there are things we as communities and individuals can do in order to help the affected families: Learn about the disability - take an interest in the nature of the disability and find out what works and what doesn’t. For example some children affected with autism are sensitive when it comes to noisy areas or crowded areas. Knowing this will help you as you interact with the affected child.

Just like everyone else, those affected also need love and fellowship.

Pray for strength and wisdom for the families as they care for their child.

Involve the affected in community and church activities - I remember my younger son being involved in our 2015 Christmas play at church as one of the wise men and the smile on his face was priceless. He did not really understand what was going on but just being there in front of the church with the other children was a huge deal for him. It was special for all of us!

Be there to listen or offer a shoulder to cry on when the affected parent/carer sometimes needs to just get things off their chest.

A phone call or text just to check up on them will be most welcome.

Give of your time to relieve the carer where *Be willing to be the voice of reason by encouraging parents not to lock up their possible - even 30 minutes will make a affected child - exposure to the outside difference to the carer who has to take care of the affected child. In most instances, world has a lot of benefits for the affected child as they learn about the world and taking care of a child with a disability is a learn social skills, like the skill of taking 24/7 job so the 30 minutes will afford the turns. carer a breather to recharge their batteries.

Embrace differences and bring inclusion within our communities - all of us, the non-disabled and those with disabilities are created in the image of God and all of us have a role to play as we fulfil what God has purposed for us. *Allow your non-disabled children to play with those who are affected - disabilities are not contagious. If, as a parent, you don’t allow your child to play with a child with a disability you are basically denying both the affected child and the nonaffected child an opportunity to have a positive growing experience. Allowing them to play, teaches your unaffected child that those with disabilities are equal to those who are non-disabled.

As you interact with the affected person it is important to see and acknowledge the individual first and then the disability later as the person is more important than the disability.

For further information or comments I can be reached on sihle.nyashanu@gmail.com Sihle is married to Kuda and they have been blessed with two boys. She is studying for a Bachelor degree in Special Education as she has a particular interest in disabilities

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Isaiah 45:22 “Turn to me and be saved, all the ends of the earth! For I am God, and there is no other.

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RECIPES

Christmas Leftover Ideas

If stored correctly the leftovers from your Christmas meal should offer you plenty of lazy meals in the days to come.

Chicken Pot Pie Ingredients

1 cup SPAR frozen peas and carrots 1/2 cup sliced celery 1/3 cup chopped onion 1/2 tsp SAVEMOR salt 1/4 tsp celery seed 1/4 tsp Italian seasoning 2/3 cup SPAR milk 2 cups cubed cooked chicken meat

1 cup SPAR frozen green beans 1/3 cup SPAR butter 1/3 cup plain flour 1/2 tsp ground black pepper 1/4 tsp onion powder 3/4 cup chicken stock 1 roll shortcrust pastry

Method

1. Preheat an oven to 220°C. 2. Place the SPAR frozen peas and carrots, green beans, and celery into a saucepan; cover with water, bring to a boil, and simmer over medium-low heat until the celery is tender, about 8 minutes. Drain the vegetables in a colander set in the sink, and set aside.

3. Melt the SPAR butter in a saucepan over medium heat, and cook the onion until translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in flour, SPAR salt, black pepper, celery seed, onion powder, and Italian seasoning; slowly whisk in the chicken broth and SPAR milk until the mixture comes to a simmer and thickens. Remove from heat; stir the cooked vegetables and chicken meat into the filling until well combined.

4. Fit pie crust into the bottom of a 20cm pie dish. Spoon the filling into the pie crust, then top with another crust. Pinch and roll the top and bottom crusts together at the edge of each pie to seal, and cut several small slits into the top of the pie with a sharp knife to release steam. Brush with a little SPAR milk or SPAR egg and sprinkle with sesame seeds if you like.

5. Bake in the preheated oven until the crust is golden brown and the filling is bubbly, 30 to 35 minutes. If the crust is browning too quickly, cover the pie with aluminium foil after about 15 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes before serving.

Ham & Mushroom Pasta Bake Ingredients

4 cups SPAR macaroni ¼ cup SPAR butter, plus a little extra 3 cups small mushrooms, halved bunch spring onions, finely sliced 1/2 cup plain flour 2 cups SPAR milk 1 cup thickly cut ham, chopped 1 ½ cups SPAR mature cheddar, grated

Method

1. Cook the SPAR pasta according to pack instructions, then drain. Heat oven to 180°C, then melt a little SPAR butter in a large saucepan. Fry the mushrooms for a couple of mins, then scoop out and set aside. Use some kitchen paper to wipe out the pan.

2. Melt the remaining SPAR butter in the pan, then add most of the onions and soften for 1 minute. Stir in the flour for another minute, then gradually stir in the SPAR milk until you have a lump-free sauce. Increase the heat and bubble the sauce, stirring for a few minutes to thicken. Turn off the heat, stir in the ham and most of the SPAR cheese. Season to taste.

3. Tip the SPAR pasta and mushrooms into a large ovenproof dish, then pour over the sauce and mix well in the dish. Scatter over the remaining cheese and spring onions, and then bake for 10 mins until golden.

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1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

RECIPES

Christmas Mince Bars Ingredients

Topping 2 SPAR eggs ½ cup firmly packed Savemor brown sugar 1 tsp vanilla 1 Tbsp plain flour ½ tsp baking powder 1 ½ cups coconut 1 cup bottles fruit mince Base 90g SPAR butter ½ cup lightly packed Savemor brown sugar 1 cup plain flour

Method

1. Beat the SPAR butter and Savemor brown sugar until light and creamy Stir in sifted flour, mix well.

2. Press mixture into a 28cm x 28cm greased laminating tin lined with greased paper.

3. Bake in 180°C oven for 10minutes.

4. Meanwhile, make the topping. Beat the SPAR eggs, Savemor brown sugar and vanilla until thick and creamy.

Fold in sifted dry ingredients, coconut and fruit mince, mix well.

5. Remove base from oven, spread with prepared topping and bake for a further 25-30 minutes until firm and golden brown.

6. Allow to cool in tin. When cold, dust with sifted icing sugar. Cut into slices.

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1 John 1:9-10 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

If we say we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us.

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HEALTH

Gluten INTOLERANCE

By MArgi grobbelaar

I read a post on Facebook the other day which showed a grumpy-looking guy saying “How is it that for the last 30,000 years man has eaten bread quite happily, and now all of a sudden he is gluten-intolerant?”

Whilst I might argue with the 30,000 years bit, he did have a point.

It sometimes seems that gluten-intolerance (G-I) is the latest fad, with every second person claiming the condition and a sudden proliferation of gluten-free (and expensive) products now available on supermarket shelves.

However, I have seen first-hand evidence of the condition. I have a niece who, as a child, always had “tummy troubles.” Her mother was frequently phoned by the school to come and fetch her, as she “had a stomach-ache.” The doctors could find nothing wrong with her and it was put down to “nerves.” In retrospect, those tummy aches always occurred after her breaktime sandwiches. It was only as a young adult that she discovered she was gluten-intolerant and cutting gluten out of her diet has been life-changing. Today, she is very sensitive to gluten and can be ill if she has a trace – such as in a sauce used to marinate a steak.

My daughter-in-law is also gluten-intolerant, but to a much lesser degree. If she eats something containing gluten, she feels mildly

unwell and generally becomes very tired and has to have a nap if possible. Before I go any further, perhaps I should answer the question: “What is gluten?”

Gluten is a protein compound contained in grasses such as wheat, barley and rye but not in maize or rice. There is some debate over it, but it is generally not believed to occur in oats.

Checking with Dr Google, one finds “Wheat intolerance syndrome” covers three entirely different gluten issues. The most serious is coeliac disease, which is an inherited autoimmune disorder and in which serious tissue damage to the small intestine is sustained. Next is “non- coeliac gluten sensitivity”, or gluten intolerance, which is where the body mounts a stress response to gluten.

Third is “wheat intolerance” which is an allergic reaction to gluten and less serious.

It is the second condition that we are concerned with in this article.

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Psalm 103:12 As far as the east is from the west, so far does He remove our transgressions from us.

HEALTH The following are the various symptoms of gluten-intolerance: 1. Digestive issues – gas, bloating, diarrhoea or constipation, abdominal pain.

2. Keratosis pilaris or “chicken skin” on the back of your arms.

3. Fatigue, “brain-fog” or feeling tired after eating food containing gluten.

4. Excessive ear wax.

5. Neurological symptoms like dizziness or feeling off-balance.

6. Hormone imbalances such as PMS, Polycystic Ovary Syndrome or unexplained infertility.

7. Migraines 8. Inflammation, swelling or pain in joints such as hips, knees, fingers.

9. Mood issues –anxiety, depression, mood swings, ADD. 10. Diagnosis of chronic fatigue or fibromyalgia 11. Diagnosis of auto-immune disease such as Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, Rheumatoid arthritis, ulcerative colitis, Lupus, Psoriasis, Scleroderma, Multiple Sclerosis Sufferers of G-I are advised to eliminate any products containing wheat, rye or barley from their diets. There are the obvious foods, such as bread and pasta, but a great many things contain hidden gluten and so the labels of products need to be carefully checked for their contents. Different makes of the same product, i.e. Worcestershire sauce, may or may not contain gluten.

Thankfully, the modern trend is to reveal all possible allergens, etc.

Because of the growing awareness of G-I and the coincidental emergence of the “carbs-free” diet, there are a wealth of recipes giving substitutes for wheat, barley and rye, in books, magazines and on the Internet. For example one can use coconut flour or almond flour in the place of wheat flour in making bread or puddings and recipes abound for the likes of pizzas with courgette- based bases, pasta made from psyllium husks, and so on. It is not really necessary to buy the expensive ready-made products.

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It is recommended that one should stick to a gluten-free diet as much as possible, and try and avoid, for example, taking a 20/80 approach, such as eating gluten-free food at home, but not when going out. A trace of gluten can bring on symptoms.

There is no specific test for gluten-intolerance, apart from removing wheat, rye and barley from the diet and seeing if there is a significant improvement in symptoms. It is recommended one consult a doctor to rule out other conditions, however.

There is still some doubt, even among medical professionals that gluten-intolerance actually exists, but surely, if you feel better on a gluten-free diet, why not stick with it? Chances are you are eating a much healthier diet, cutting out fast foods and products that are rich in sugar, and eating plenty of unprocessed protein and fresh fruit and vegetables. That can never be a bad thing.

Margi is a counsellor at The Christian Counselling Centre.

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River of Life Greystone Park 8:30am (Eng) 1:30pm (Shona) 6:00pm (Eng) cnr Gaydon & Quinton Rd, Greystone Park River of Life Eastlea 9:30am (Eng) 12:00pm (Shona) 11 Inverness Rd, Eastlea

For more info: www.riveroflifechurch.co.zw

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Isaiah 43:25 I am He who blots out your transgressions for My own sake, and I will not remember your sins.

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KIDS CORNER

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Isaiah 53:5 But He was wounded for our transgressions; He was crushed for our iniquities; upon Him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with His stripes we are healed.

KIDS CORNER

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Proverbs 25:21 If your enemy is hungry, give him bread to eat, and if he is thirsty, give him water to drink.

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SHORT STORY

The Greater Miracle

By Sas Kirk

The story of the healing of the paralytic from Mark chapter two is well known and often used to illustrate Jesus’ miraculous powers of healing. In our human understanding, we read to the very end of the recorded story, looking for the ‘happy ever after’ - the image of the man rising up and walking - hallelujah! But that is because we are human and see things from our earthly perspective. If we were able to shift our perspective, if we could see what angels see, we would not need the final four verses to complete the ‘happy ever after’ story.

The first indication that there was to be more to this gathering came when one or two of the people, crowded into the packed room of the homestead, felt a light fall of dust. Then more and more began to fall: dust, dried twigs, flecks of leaf.

Murmuring swept through the room and

even as the people strained to hear the words of the Rabbi, concentration was broken.

focused on the shaft of sunlight that was now streaming in, as if forcing itself down among the crowd who had gathered.

One man glanced upwards and exclaimed. In astonishment more and more peered up until all in the room were

Outside, people craned their necks to peer through the window. What was happening? Why is the Rabbi not speaking? The teacher had stopped. He sat with his head inclined, as if waiting, his gaze on the hole that was widening above him.

There were glimpses of bodies above, the scratching and scrabbling of coverings being torn apart. Now the room was hushed as all eyes stared in anticipation of what was to come. The hole widened and eager faces peered down, voices shouted from above in expectation. Then the room darkened again for an instant as a large, bulky cloth filled the space. Slowly, with infinite care the bundle was lowered, a sack filled with ....no not sacking, a bedroll, holding a figure, a man bundled into the

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Psalm 38:3-4 There is no soundness in my flesh because of your indignation; there is no health in my bones because of my sin.

For my iniquities have gone over my head; like a heavy burden, they are too heavy for me.

SHORT STORY bedroll and being lowered slowly with ropes held by strong arms, which eased their precious cargo down, inch by inch, foot by foot. They were lowering a man right above where the Rabbi sat. Finally, amidst the shafts of dusty light and the silence of the crowd, the bundle that was a man, lay before Jesus. His legs were folded and twisted beneath him, his body thin and wasted, but his eyes were alive with hope and intensity as he gazed at the Master, the Healer before him. Every man in the room, those that peered through the windows and especially those that gazed down from above held their breath, waiting for the words that would bring about the profound miracle of healing.

Jesus looked with deep love at the man before him, then glanced with approval at the friends above. He smiled, and spoke, “My son, your sins are forgiven.”

There was silence in the room. Faces reflected a myriad of feelings. Many eyes widened in deep surprise, a few brows furrowed in confusion. Above, there was a restless shift as the four faithful friends who had brought their desperate companion looked at each other. Was this all? Where was the healing? In deeper shadows of the room, scowls of affront from the religious leaders clouded their faces, as the impact of the words sunk in.

“Forgive sins - how dare He!” And above, as the silence lengthened, a deep disappointment stilled the four faithful men who longed for the total healing of their crippled friend, longed for restoration and for life.

Funny Book Authors “Home Maintenance”....by Duane Pipe “Growing up in the Balkans”.....by Hugo Slavia “Irish Winter Tales”.....by Pete Moss “Increase Your Brain Power”....by Sarah Bellum “Looking Into the Wishing Well”....by Eileen Dover “How to Write a Mystery Novel”....by Page Turner “Winning Big”.....by Jack Potts “Vacation Spot in the Tropics”....by Sandy Beech “I Always Enjoy the Darkness”....by Gladys Knigh

SUDOKU

But there were others who had watched and waited as the man had been lowered.

In Heaven, spiritual beings were still as the tableau unfolded before them. They too, saw the desperate scrabbling of the friends. They too watched in anticipation as the frail cargo was lowered to the feet of the Son of God. They too waited breathlessly for His words of healing. Even in Heaven, activity was momentarily suspended. “My son, your sins are forgiven”.

Immediately there were resounding cries of triumph, laughter, jubilation. Joyous excitement flooded the waiting heavenly congregation. Cries of, “A sinner saved...all glory to God!” rang out. Celebration of the greatest event of all, salvation of a soul, flooded throughout heaven and burst in an explosion of glory. Sin was forgiven! A soul was forever saved! What a miracle!

Sas Kirk is a Counsellor at Chisipite Senior School.

Chrissie and her husband Dave are Pastors at Harvest Christian Fellowship.

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Psalm 25:18 Consider my affliction and my trouble, and forgive all my sins.

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